November 10, 2021 (Clearwater, Fla.) – Community Tampa Bay has received a $100,000 gift from United Services Automobile Association (USAA) to expand its signature youth education program ANYTOWN® to Pasco County students. The funding will allow 60 Pasco County School students to participate in ANYTOWN® free of charge.

ANYTOWN® is a nationally recognized, evidence-based youth leadership program for youth ages 14-18. The program is designed to educate and empower youth to become responsible leaders and community builders. Over the course of five days, students engage in proactive dialogue with a focus on treating every individual with dignity and respect.

“We feel so blessed with this incredible opportunity to bring ANYTOWN® back to Pasco County,” says Tammy Briant Spratling, CEO, Community Tampa Bay, a Clearwater-based nonprofit. “Expanding the reach of our residential summer camp plays a crucial role in bringing together students of different cultures, faiths, and other social groupings to cultivate inclusive and welcoming community for everybody.”

Over the past ten years, Community Tampa Bay has been working with Michigan State University to statistically validate the impact of the summer camp on attendees. 78.9% of ANYTOWN® graduates reported having more friends whose background differed from their own upon the program completion, while 71.3% experienced positive identity development. The tangible results prove that the program works and brings tremendous benefits to youth who are still developing their sense of self and the communities in which they navigate.

“USAA is always excited to help organizations to make positive change in our community,” says Keith O’Malley, Regional Site Director, USAA Tampa. “Community Tampa Bay is a wonderful agent of change in the Tampa Bay region, and we believe that they can assist hundreds of children to build communities based on inclusivity, respect, and understanding.”

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About Community Tampa Bay

Community Tampa Bay is a non-profit organization that envisions a community free of all forms of discrimination in which every individual is treated with dignity and respect, with regard to their race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, ability, faith, and or age. Community Tampa Bay works towards the ambitious vision of cultivating inclusive leaders to change communities through dialogue and cross-cultural interactions, empowering individuals to build relationships based on understanding and mutual respect.