The communities located in the six-square-mile area just west of the University of South Florida's Tampa campus once represented gross crime, blight, decay and poverty. Last week, with more than 1,300 people in attendance, the 3,000-member USF Area Community Civic Association, Inc. (USFACCA) commemorated its 20th year of success by honoring 35 of its "unsung heroes." Today, their accomplishments stand as a case study of leadership, community organization and cooperation. ...more

October 22, 2009

A troubled Tampa charter school that serves homeless and at-risk children has asked the Hillsborough County School District to take over its operations. ...more

June 9, 2009

Somewhere there is a youngster with the talent and ambition to become the next Itzhak Perlman, a virtuoso on the violin. But he comes from a low-income home and doesn't have money for a violin or music lessons. He'll never know he has a gift for music because he'll never have the opportunity to discover it. "As a result, the world will miss out," Glen Schubert said. ...more

May 24, 2009

The smells of paint and popcorn, as well as pulsating rock sounds, filled the air at the recent It's All About Kids Spring Family Festival. ...more

April 15, 2009

Banks, mortgage companies, even automakers have asked for, and in some cases received, billions of dollars in federal taxpayer dollars to offset poor decisions that left them deep in debt. ...more

December 7, 2008

In Florida, during a time of huge federal bailouts, nonprofit broups are being denied funding for 2009 because of the lagging economy and declining revenue. ...more

December 4, 2008

No one ever told 23-year-old Jeri Moss that putting too much water in her baby's formula could kill him. ...more

December 2, 2008

Mayor Pam Iorio could soon get a letter asking her to change the terms of a contract allowing the Metropolitan Tampa Area YMCA to operate a youth golf program at Rogers Park. ...more

November 17, 2008

Patricia Walker is the new community outreach manager of the local Big Brothers Big Sisters. ...more

August 25, 2008

As Donna Guajardo, 16, sorts through donated linens, 15-year-old Heather Beatty dries litter boxes at an animal shelter. Just a few miles away, Jeanine Tatlock, 15, shelves library books, while Brittany Prescott, 14, works with camp counselors and kids. ...more

August 20, 2008