Introduction

In 2008, Dr. John Paul, a USFSP professor who at that time was also chairing the social action committee at his church, located in downtown St. Petersburg, felt no one congregation could adequately address the persistent and rising presence of the city’s homeless population. So, John reached out to interested persons from other downtown churches. They met monthly at Trinity Lutheran Church, in their Redeemer Hall, a multi-purpose fellowship room located on the third floor. (The hall became affectionately referred to as “the upper room.”) Two dozen or more people – clergy and laity – participated in these meetings, discussing different strategies for addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness. From these discussions Celebrate Outreach! was founded. Two years later, in 2010, Celebrate Outreach! incorporated and became a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

Serving the basic needs of the homeless community became an immediate priority for the new organization. Celebrate Outreach! became the catalyst and support base for two of our member congregations — Trinity Lutheran Church and Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg — to serve free, hot meals to people experiencing hunger and homelessness. As a result, the Friday Night Picnic and the Saturday Morning Breakfast came to life. Since that time, over 16,000 meals have been served annually.

Timeline

Here are some historical milestones since our founding.

2025 – In the spring, with  less than three weeks’ notice that they had to move from their location of 5 years, Celebrate Outreach! and their 2 partner groups who served meals in the same location, found, rented, and renovated a new kitchen, and moved into 1617 16th St S, St Petersburg with none of the 4 weekly meals served being skipped. The 2nd Tiny Home was turned over to homebuyer Bernadin (Ben) Isadore, a retiree whose home was destroyed by Hurricane Milton.

2024 – Celebrate Outreach! completed construction of its second Tiny Home and received its Certificate of Occupancy; on October 13, the Celebrate Outreach! breakfast crew heroically prepared and served 151 delicious, nutritious meals, the most ever served, (recent average had been about 120 meals) out of their kitchen that had no power, no potable water, and was in the middle of a city in disarray after Hurricane Milton struck.

2023 – Celebrate Outreach! held its first Drag Queen Bingo fundraiser since Covid19 began, at a venue new to us, Creative Grape, where more money (over $1000) was raised than at any other Drag Queen Bingo fundraiser the venue had ever had. Groundbreaking was held for the 2nd Tiny Home.

2022 – Celebrate Outreach!’s first tiny home was officially dedicated and turned over to new homebuyer US Marine Corps Veteran Justin Keding. Celebrate Outreach! began a new collaboration for its Tiny Homes program with Nicole Peterika, AIA, President of Mag 4, Inc. , who developed an updated plan for our 2nd Tiny Home. The Tiny Homes project was opened to all people at risk of homelessness, not just veterans.

2021 – CO! enters into lease agreement for 2nd tiny home

2020 – Celebrate Outreach!’s weekly Saturday Breakfast and partner Sunday Dinner move to new location at Praise the Lord Outreach Ministries in South St Petersburg; after Covid-19 pandemic begins, there is a 100% increase in number of people served.

2020 – $493 was raised by Celebrate Outreach! in their first Walking Ghost Tour fundraiser at John’s Pass at Madeira Beach, led by a Board member who is a professional Ghost Tour Guide.

2019 – Tiny Homes for Homeless Veterans receives $10,000 grant from Duke Energy; Celebrate Outreach! begins serving weekly Saturday Breakfasts and partner Sunday Dinners in a downtown St Petersburg parking lot after losing access to its previous host church building; this continues for 10 months rain or shine.

2018 – Groundbreaking for Building Tiny Homes for Homeless Veterans’ first Tiny Home

2017 – Celebrate Outreach! holds its first of many Drag Queen Bingo fundraisers, this one at Hamburger Mary’s in the Tyrone area of St. Petersburg. Celebrate Outreach! holds its first fundraiser to benefit the Tiny Homes Project – an authentic Puerto Rican Pig Roast at the Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg.

2016 – Celebrate Outreach! partners with the University of South Florida School of Architecture & Community Design to form the Building Tiny Homes for Homeless Veterans collaboration.

2015 – Mayor Rick Kriseman of St. Petersburg attends one of Celebrate Outreach!’s events for the first of many times – this time he is the speaker at one of our public Education Forums; Celebrate Outreach!’s first annual “Still No Room in the Inn” Christmas Caroling Walk is held in downtown St Petersburg.

2014 – Celebrate Outreach! holds the first of 12 Community Education Forums in the next 3 years, targeted to an audience of homeless service providers, social workers, clergy, police officers, teachers, and others who work directly with the homeless.

2012 – Celebrate Outreach! holds a Homelessness and LGBT Youth Workshop – targeted to homeless service providers, social workers, clergy, police officers, teachers, and others who work directly with homeless youths.

2011 – Celebrate Outreach! conducts its second Concrete Solutions to End Homelessness Conference

2010 – Celebrate Outreach! is incorporated as a Florida nonprofit organization, and is recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization

2009 – Celebrate Outreach! conducts its first Concrete Solutions to End Homelessness Conference; weekly Sunday evening meal service begins; annual Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner services begin

2008 – Celebrate Outreach! is founded; weekly Friday evening and Saturday morning meal services begin; hosts first annual Homeless Persons Memorial Service