Unity in the Community strives to foster a sense of hope and belonging for all people in Plant City, regardless of their background or circumstances. The mission of Unity in the Community is to bring people together by providing resources and services that promote economic development, educational opportunities, cultural awareness, civic engagement, and health and wellness initiatives. Through these, the organization strives to create a brighter future for everyone in the community.
In terms of the practical steps to achieve its high ideals, the Unity in the Community board of directors are all volunteers who plan and execute various fundraising events each year. Unity in the Community then disperses the money it has raised to various charities, non-profits, and projects that align with its mission.
Among the local non-profit organizations that have benefitted from the work of Unity in the Community are United Food Bank of Plant City, Pregnancy Care Center of Plant City, the Improvement League of Plant City, the Arts Council of Plant City, and the Plant City Family YMCA.
Unity in the Community has also funded specific worthy causes such as these:
• Community service scholarships: Students graduating from Simmons Career Center who will attend a community college or a university are eligible to receive one of 20 $1,000 scholarships.
• Backpacks for needy students: Not every family has the means to provide their students with the supplies they need to be successful in school. Local schools identify students who need supplies, and Unity in the Community fills backpacks to donate to these students.
• Local food banks: Cash donations help local food banks provide nonperishable food to local residents who might otherwise go without a nutritious meal.
“Sharon Moody is very persuasive,” Dr. Joe Borrell, Dean of Academic Affairs at Hillsborough Community College, Plant City, said. “I’m a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Plant City. The relationship with Unity in the Community, and the support that we’ve been able to get for our ‘Stuff the Bus’ campaign that we do at the beginning of the fall semester, is really wonderful.
So Sharon said to me, ‘You know, you usually have time over your spring break at the college…” And so I ended up volunteering at the Strawberry Festival. I was selling Corvette raffle tickets—doing four-hour shifts. It’s really quite interesting because you meet a lot of different people. It’s always fun to hang out with the car and see what’s going to be put up that year. You just do it, and it’s just been a really good thing for me over the last couple of years to be able to volunteer for Unity in the Community and help raise these needed funds for our city and community.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Unity in the Community is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Money brought in from fundraisers, and donations received, are allocated to 60 local on-the-ground charities that fulfill the mission of the organization. Donations can be made on a one-time or monthly basis through the web site, or by checks made payable to Unity in the Community.
Another way to help is to join in on one of the annual fundraisers:
The Annual Stingray Chevrolet Charity Raffle helps to provide necessary funding that allows them to do much more for those who have less. The 16th annual installment is happening now in partnership with the Florida Strawberry Festival and Stingray Chevrolet. This year’s raffle features a brand-new 2025 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible 2LT. Raffle Tickets are $5, and can be bought at the Stingray Chevrolet Dealership, online at Stingray Chevrolet’s Charity Raffle page (https://www.stingraychevrolet.com/about-us/community-sponsorships/chevrolet-charity-raffle-faq), and the Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds during festival hours.
The Henry Falcon Memorial Golf Tournament benefits Unity in the Community. Volunteers are needed to run the event, and golfers are needed to play. There are door prizes, a full dinner, a raffle, a hole in one prize, and Mulligans for sale. Businesses can sponsor the event and have promotional signs displayed at holes.
The Unity Clay Shoot is held annually in the fall. Vendors set up tents for participants to find needed items. Shooting teams pay fees to compete. Businesses can sponsor teams and have signs placed at the holes.
For more information, contact
Unity in the Community
P.O. BOX 524, Plant City, FL 3356
