Lealman Voice Edition 26
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Credit: Leo Gomez Studios
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What a $39 million grant could mean for Lealman
Pinellas County officials continue investing significant resources in unincorporated and underserved Lealman, a growing community just outside St. Petersburg city limits.
Over 20,000 residents can look forward to $84 million in upcoming projects. At a Jan. 30 meeting, county commissioners unanimously approved a $39 million federal grant application to offset the cost.
The funding would support the Joe’s Creek Greenway Trail and channel restoration project; pedestrian crossing and stormwater drainage improvements on U.S. Hwy. 19/34th St. North; storm hardening and workforce development efforts at the Lealman Exchange; and public art placemaking initiatives. After the meeting, Commissioner Charlie Justice credited county staff for helping increase the area’s quality of life.
“The impact is multifaceted,” Justice told the Catalyst. “Recreational opportunities, trail connection to the greater Pinellas community, flood prevention, hurricane shelter improvements – all while relieving some budget pressures.
“This grant would be huge for Lealman and Pinellas County.”
The grant is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. The county’s public works team is one of 120 organizations – from a pool of 869 – the agency selected to submit a final application.
If approved, officials would dedicate $13 million to the $59.5 million Joe’s Creek project. The 9,256-acre watershed includes portions of Kenneth City, Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg.
However, the waterway resembles a large drainage ditch and is susceptible to flooding. The county plans to transform Joe’s Creek into a public amenity by planting new trees and vegetation and creating an elevated, permeable pavement multi-modal trail.
Stabilizing its banks, improving culverts and removing sediment to increase channel flow will improve water quality and mitigate flooding. Kelli Levy, public works director, believes a reimagined Joe’s Creek will also foster much-needed economic development in the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA).
County documents call the community “disadvantaged” due to a high percentage of low-income households who have limited vehicle access. Jeremy Heath, the CRA’s board chairperson, previously said the Joe’s Creek project is “the most important thing for this area that’s going to happen in the next five to 10 years.”
Pinellas officials would also dedicate $1.15 million to the Lealman Exchange (LEX). The 77,000-square-foot campus is home to several nonprofits and workforce development organizations.
Its primary building also serves as a storm shelter. In September 2022, 172 residents found refuge from Hurricane Ian at the facility.
Stakeholders now hope to create the LEX Resilience Hub. The $3 million project includes upgrading or reconstructing an expansive gymnasium to withstand a Category 3 hurricane.
That would increase capacity by 480 people, or 160 special needs residents. Documents note that the project “directly aligns with NOAA’s risk reduction program by mitigating an existing shelter deficit in Pinellas County.”
Tuesdays & Thursdays at the Lealman Exchange
YMCA Senior Exercise: Tu/Th 9 a.m.
YMCA Total Parkinson's Exercise: Tu/Th 10-11 a.m.
Tuesdays & Thursdays 6 PM
February 17th @ 1:00 p.m.
March 1st 6 PM - 8 PM
Family Night Open Gym
April 8th - 19th
Florida Dream Center creating an empowered community where neighbors help neighbors
The Florida Dream Center inspires self-sufficiency by sharing faith through resources and restoring hope in communities. President & CEO Steve Cleveland joins us to talk more about what this wonderful organization does for our community, plus an upcoming event.
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Make a difference in your community and join the Florida Dream Center's incredible team of volunteers. Whether you're an individual or part of a group, your unique contribution can create positive ripples of change. Together, we can uplift lives and build a stronger, more connected community.
- For more information, visit FloridaDreamCenter.org/Get-Involved, call 727-851-9074, or contact Dawn Birch at Dawn@FloridaDreamCenter.org.
Work Readiness Training Program
- This program prepares and empowers individuals for employment placement, skills training, and employment preparation while focusing on applying basic work skills, communication skills, and on-the-job etiquette through resume building and interview skills training.
- The Florida Dream Center is now a candidate for NCCER accreditation, which means they can train and certify individuals for Core Construction and Carpentry level 1 through the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER).
- With grant support from United Way Suncoast, their recent class had 17 students who achieved success by securing permanent job placement bringing a positive increase to their income and self-sufficiency.
- For more information, visit FloridaDreamCenter.org/All-Programs or call 727-851-9074.
SPC, food bank join forces to fight food insecurity
Millions of college students across the United States are facing food insecurity, struggling to afford basic necessities while pursuing higher education. Research shows approximately 30% of college students experience food insecurity, with rising tuition, housing costs and accessibility to food as significant contributing factors. This challenge has a proven impact on students’ academic performance, health and overall well-being, with many forced to choose between paying for tuition or groceries.
In response to this issue, Hope Villages of America is taking proactive steps to address food insecurity among college students. The nonprofit has partnered with St. Petersburg College (SPC) to stock campus food pantries. On Thursday, Hope Villages delivered 100 boxes of shelf-stable food to St. Petersburg College’s Health Education Center Campus in Pinellas Park, which acts as the hub for the partnership with Hope Villages of Ameria (HVA), distributing food at various SPC campus sites throughout the city.
“In 2018, we had this grassroots movement of a food pantry because we knew that we had a growing population [experiencing] food insecurity,” said Tara Newsom, a professor at SPC and the director of the college’s Center for Civic Learning and Community Engagement. “Our own SPC community tried to populate it, but we just weren’t able to keep up with the demand. When Hope Villages partnered with us, it really was a perfect collaboration because SPC is all about open access to education, and Hope Villages is about access to being able to put proper food nutrition on everyone’s table.”
Melvin Thomas, Senior Vice President of Operations for Hope Villages of America, said the nonprofit initially partnered with SPC to host mobile food pantries, bringing truckloads of food items for SPC students, faculty and the community.
“Those were like pilots for us to look at how to do that program, which became very essential to our Covid response,” Thomas said. “Food insecurity doesn’t have a look. Food insecurity can be in any house, and that doesn’t mean what people see on television with third world countries. It just means that people are not getting a guarantee where their next meal is coming from. So they need that support, and the reality is, anything can happen that leads to food insecurity. That’s definitely what Covid has taught us, that people are not okay, and that we’re no different.”
All of SPC’s food pantries are open to the public, and while their size and the amount of stocked food varies, the pantries have been so busy and often-utilized that the college recently hired full-time staff to keep up with demand.
Lealman Honey & Arts success
What a golden, honey-filled day we had at this year’s 2024 Lealman Honey & Arts Fest! Not only did we enjoy the sweetest of local honey, but we also got to celebrate our vibrant arts & music scene, all right in the heart of Lealman! Thank you to the event organizers and community members for making it a great day in Lealman!
CES students of the month
Ms. Thomas’ Student of the Month is Cali Ortega-Hernandez. Cali works hardevery day. She has raised her reading and Math levels. She is kind and a loving friend to her classmates.
Ms. Dawn’s Student of the Month is Eliana Ortega-Hernandez. Ellie is working hard to improve in all of her academic subjects. She does not give up! She is also a friendly person who tries to be friends with everyone. She will always help a classmate or teacher when an opportunity arises.
Mr. Golden’s Student of the Month Javon Fox Javon is a fun guy to be around. He has a good sense of humor. Javon completes his assignments on time. He is also on the basketball team.
Ms. Wilson’s Student
of the Month is Kaydence Thorpe. She is a classroom
leader who represents herself and CES well. She is always attentive, eager to learn and consistently on a quest to learn more about humanities and the world by reading books and participating in whole group discussions. Kaydence is very respectful to her instructor and her peers.
Ms. Mitchell’s Student of the Month is Jaiel Spratley. Jaiel has been a wonderful student this year and has done a great job! He always comes in with a positive attitude and exceptional work ethic. He is a great example for his peers.
Career Corner
Historic Preservation Specialist
Preserving Pinellas County's heritage since 1976, Heritage Village, a 21-acre open-air museum is dedicated to the preservation of over 20 historical structures onsite. If preservation is your passion, check out this great opportunity!!
The Project Management Specialist 1 is primarily responsible for work that involves completing an oversight of historic preservation at Pinellas County's historical museum, Heritage Village. This position is responsible for the assessment, repair, and maintenance of historic structures located at Heritage Village.
The Project Management Specialist will make suggestions for repairs and oversee preservation projects by consulting with historic documents to ensure historical buildings maintain their original appearance. The Project Management Specialist will also recruitment, train, and supervise maintenance volunteers and interns.
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