Looking for a way to help out around the community this holiday season?  We've got a list of ways you can donate or volunteer to those who are less fortunate during this time of year.

Jump to: Citrus County | Hernando County | Hillsborough County | Manatee County | Pasco County | Pinellas County | Polk County

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Bay Area

• Metropolitan Ministries provides food, clothing, shelter, and other vital services for the poor and homeless. It has many volunteer opportunities, donation drives and donation drop-off locations in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties.
  
• Toys for Tots,  make a donation by check, please make payable to Toys for Tots Foundation Mail to:
  Toys for Tots Coordinator
  5121 West Gandy Boulevard
  Tampa, FL 33611
• Kids Charity of Tampa Bay, Holiday Gift Drive, for more information and drop off locations, call (813) 843-1833.
• United Way Suncoast, check out the website to learn how you can help.
• Children's Miracle Network - Give Miracles

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Citrus County

• Citrus United Basket, People Helping People since 1978 C.U.B. by providing food, financial and material assistance in emergency cases to residents of Citrus County.

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Hernando County

• Habitat for Humanity of Hernando County will provide holiday food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as children’s gifts for Hernando County residents in need. Call Debbie Prescott at (352) 754-1159 or email community@habitathernando.org for more information.

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Hillsborough County

• Monetary donations can be made to the Feeding America Tampa Bay Food Bank: 4702 Transport Drive, Building 6, Tampa. (813) 254-1190, ext. 200.
• Salvation Army Tampa, To Donate Via Check, please mail to: The Salvation Army - P.O. Box 2839 - Tampa, FL 33601

To Donate Vehicles, Furniture or Clothing, please call: 813-972-0471 To contact the local Tampa Command, please call 813-226-0055.To reach our state headquarters, please call 813-962-6611.

• Tampa River Lights Festival, benefitting Voices for Children, Saturday, December 8, 6 p.m., Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa.  Hosted by the 2012 Class of Leadership Tampa Bay.  Event is FREE.  From 6 p.m.-9 p.m. 10,000 illuminated 3" river lights will be released into the river.
  
  
• Town N Country Christmas Toy Drive kicks off November 30 at 8 a.m., Walmart at 7011 W. Waters AVe. Tampa.  Gifts can be dropped at local collection sites, find yours here. Toy collection culminates on Saturday December 8, The First Reformed Church at Hillsborough and Webb is hosting Santa and providing refreshments for the 2012 Toy distribution December 15, 2012 at 11:00am.  Call (813) 384-8337 for more.

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Manatee County

• Food Bank of Manatee

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Pasco County

• Gulfside Regional Hospice, Visit our website to donate securely online. Also, information about volunteering and Thrift Shoppe locations and hours are on website or by calling 727-845-5707 or 813-780-1235.

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Pinellas County

• Salvation Army Clearwater, The most common way for you to give online to The Salvation Army in your community.  Specify a Location to Give, Become a Monthly SustainerHonor/Memoria Gifts, Donate clothing, furniture and household items, please call 800.728.7825
• Salvation Army St. Petersburg, Sign up to be an ambassador to the community for The Salvation Army! Your family, church, club, group or company employees can ring bells during the holiday season to help raise funds that will give hope to families in our community throughout the year.
• To register call Gail Star 727-550-8080, ext. 332 or email at Gail_Stark@uss.salvationarmy.org

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Polk County

• Volunteer Polk is seeking assistance collecting and making items needed for Healthy Familes Polk – from dinner ingredients to sewing children’s stockings. Donation suggestions include Visa or store gift cards, checks made payable to Healthy Families Polk, and suggested items on the Donation List, which can be found on the website. Donations can be delivered to the Volunteer Polk office located at 2135 Marshall Edwards Drive, Bartow.