Make a Difference: Volunteer for Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa!

Volunteering is one of the best ways we can give back to others in our communities. A popular way to show your volunteerism colors in Tampa is by volunteering for Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! For over 20 years, Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! has been bringing together hundreds of Tampa residents who share a day and some elbow grease brightening up the homes of many senior citizens across Tampa who are unable to pay for or do the expensive and physically demanding job of painting their own homes.

My Experience With Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa!

I have twice volunteered for Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! One year we worked on an old bungalow home in East Tampa. Paint, brushes, rollers, and ladders were supplied for everyone working on painting the house. We started in the morning around 9 AM on the house and spent most of the afternoon completing the project. While some of us were rather skilled at painting, many of us were true novices. The jobs were delegated based on who thought they could do what. I ended up cutting in the paint between the wooden exterior clapboards. I also painted window moldings and window sills.

The second year that I volunteered for Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! was when I helped paint a concrete block home near the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of North Tampa. This home was a bit easier for us to paint because the broad concrete block surfaces made rolling the paint rather efficient. Still, having to cut in along the concrete block joint lines required its own bit of dedication. This job was another mid-morning to mid-afternoon affair.

Every house has a team captain. He or she helps lead all the teammates on the individual tasks to be accomplished for the house, teaches a thing or two about the basics of painting well, and is the go-to person for any help needed or questions that have to be answered throughout the course of the painting day.

Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! held volunteer celebrations at the end of the day where music, food, and drinks were offered to all volunteers who came. This was a great chance to meet with volunteers who worked on other homes that day. It's also a great chance to exchange stories about what our painting experiences were like. Besides, those volunteers' parties made a great place to make a new friend or two.

How You Can Volunteer for Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa!

Volunteering for Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! is really simple. One of the few requirements is that you must be 18 years of age or older to volunteer. Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! takes place in mid-April, so the weather isn't usually too hot or too cold most years. You can contact Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! at (813) 258-4512 to find out more information or go to the Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! website.

Resources

Personal and first-hand knowledge and experience
Paint Your Heart Out, Tampa! website