‘It really warms my heart’: Tampa Clinic deepens roots in community through service and engagement

From collection drives to walks for mental health, the Tampa Clinic serves both their patients and their community.

Claire Kinney, Therapist II in Tampa, says she is proud of the Tampa Clinic team for working hard to increase community engagement over the past year and a half. The clinic’s Healthy Culture Committee now plans a monthly engagement event for team members and/or patients to help the local community, including activities such as writing thank-you letters to first responders, food and collection drives, fundraisers, and walks. Beneficiaries include a local women’s empowerment shelter and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (SPCA).

“We have seen fantastic engagement from both staff and patients alike in our initiatives. These events are so important to our community,” Claire says. “Now more than ever, we need to come together as a community and help where we can.”

Recently, the clinic partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Tampa Bay Lightning, participating in the Out of Darkness Walk and the Hockey Talks mental health hockey game. A staff member worked with the Lightning to arrange a signed jersey donation from player Nick Paul for the Out of Darkness raffle.

The team also “adopted” kids from a local school for an Angel Tree program, which helps provide holiday gifts for children, sponsoring 22 local elementary school students in need.

Claire looks forward to future engagement events, as the team deepens their roots in the community.

“We as the helping professionals have an ethical duty to serve our patients both in treatment and in our community,” she says. “I am so thrilled to see so much engagement from this clinic, and it really warms my heart and makes me very proud to be part of this team who cares so much about the communities we live and serve in.”