St. Verena'sGive
Your donation funds items for the regularly scheduled service events of our partner churches and supports other charities in the Tampa Bay area.
Donate onlineVolunteer-led · Donation-driven · Tampa Bay, Florida
Compassion and dignity for the hungry, the homeless, and the overlooked.
St. Verena's Service is a charity that runs entirely on donations and volunteers. In partnership with our local Coptic churches, we raise funds and supplies for their service events and for other charities in the Tampa Bay area, and we host drives and events of our own.
"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40
How we work
St. Verena's Service works in partnership with our local Coptic Orthodox churches. We raise funds for the churches' regularly scheduled service events. Those funds are used to purchase items for these services and to support other charities in the Tampa Bay area.
St. Verena's Service does not host or plan these church-scheduled events. They are organized and led by the churches. For questions about a specific church event, please contact the hosting church. See our partner churches.
St. Verena's Service also hosts its own drives and one-time events, which are posted on our Events page.
Our story
St. Verena's Service began with serving our church community in Namibia. Our community saw the resilience, faith, and needs of people facing hardship, and it changed us.
When we came home, we kept serving. We founded St. Verena's Service to bring hope, dignity, and practical help to vulnerable people in our local community, and today we work in partnership with local Coptic churches across the Tampa Bay area in Florida.
The original St. Verena's Service in Raleigh, North Carolina, inspired this charity, and it still operates independently under the St. Verena's name.
We believe that through faith and action we can be a light for others, just as St. Verena was.
Neighbors we serve
Our work is simple and practical: meet people where they are, and treat everyone we meet with respect.
The hungry
Families and individuals who go without regular meals.
The homeless
People living outside who need clothing and basic necessities.
The overlooked
Neighbors who are easy to miss and who deserve to be seen and cared for.
In need or know somebody in need of assistance?
We can point you to warm meals, food pantries, and shelters in the six cities where our partner churches serve. Please call before you go, since hours change.
Three ways to help
Every gift, donated item, and volunteer hour goes straight to serving people in our community.
Donate items
We collect hygiene and personal care goods all year long to provide to our partner churches' service events, our own drives, and other local charities.
See items we collectVolunteer
Join a service event hosted by one of our partner churches, or one of our own drives and events. No experience is needed, just a willingness to serve.
Sign up to volunteerInternships and volunteer hours
Students and young adults: reach out to ask about volunteer hours, or apply for an internship with St. Verena's Service.
Volunteer hours
Ages 16 to 22
Looking for volunteer hours? You must be 16 to 22 years old. Email us to ask about ways to serve.
Internships
Junior in college or above
You must be at least a junior in college. Areas: Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, and Social Media Management, with more to come.
See requirementsApply on our secure formAsk about volunteer hoursLog my hours in the app
Future of St. Verena's
We are looking to grow and provide more help to the Florida community that has allowed our churches to grow and flourish.
Weekly service events
Our partner churches serve every Monday evening in Tampa, with homeless outreach, street medicine, and assisted living visits, and every Friday at the St. George Food Bank. Volunteers are welcome. These events are hosted and planned by the churches.