SPHA Brings Community Together for Back to School Event in Jordan Park
ST. PETERSBURG, FL (AUGUST 7, 2025) - The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) hosted a back to school event in Jordan Park on August 5, 2025.
The SPHA Back 2 School Bash was a community-focused celebration designed to help SPHA families prepare for the new school year. SPHA youth received free backpacks and school supplies while enjoying an afternoon of fun, entertainment, and community connection.
Special guests included NBA veteran and USF Athletic Hall of Famer Chucky Atkins, First Lady of the City Donna Welch, and Councilman Corey Givens Jr.
Generous Donations:
Backpacks were generously donated by The HUB (https://stpetehubs.org), Hope Villages of America (https://hopevillagesofamerica.org), My Daughter's Keeper of Tampa Bay (www.mdktampabay.org), and The Sanderlin Center (https://sanderlinfamilycenter.org). School supplies were generously provided by Pinellas MYcroSchool (https://pinellasmycroschool.org). Additionally, the City of St. Petersburg (www.stpete.org) sponsored a tree climb activity and Italian ice treats, and Humana (www.humana.com) sponsored ice cream!
Event Highlights:
- Music & DJ entertainment by DJ Dondy (https://djdondy.com)
- Balloon creations by Awesome Austin's Entertainment (www.hopp.bio/awesome-austin)
- Face painting by Face Painting Brittni (https://facepaintingbrittni.as.me)
- Tree climb activity by Pathfinder Outdoor Education (www.pathfinderoutdooreducation.org)
Community Partners:
SPHA extends its thanks to:
- American Heart Association (www.heart.org)
- Arts Conservatory for Teens (www.artsconservatoryforteens.org)
- Bay Area Legal Services (https://bals.org)
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay (www.bgctampa.org)
- Children's Home Network (www.childrenshomenetwork.org)
- City of St. Petersburg (www.stpete.org)
- Clothes To Kids (https://clothestokids.org)
- Cutting Edge Landscape and Nursery (https://cuttingedgelandscapeandnursery.com)
- Daystar Life (https://daystarlife.org)
- Evara Health (https://evarahealth.org)
- Gulf Coast JFCS (www.jewishgulfcoast.org/community-directory/gcjfcs)
- HOPE Villages of America (https://hopevillagesofamerica.org)
- Humana (www.humana.com)
- Keep Pinellas Beautiful (www.kpbcares.org)
- Metropolitan Ministries (www.metromin.org)
- My Daughter's Keeper of Tampa Bay (www.mdktampabay.org)
- Pinellas MYcroSchool (https://pinellasmycroschool.org)
- SPCA Tampa Bay (https://spcatampabay.org)
- St. Petersburg College (www.spcollege.edu)
- St. Petersburg Police Department (https://police.stpete.org)
- Tampa Bay Watch (www.tampabaywatch.org)
- Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center (www.tbwdiscoverycenter.org)
- The HUB (www.stpetehubs.org)
- The Sanderlin Center (https://sanderlinfamilycenter.org)
Learn More:
SPHA is the leading affordable housing provider in the city of St. Petersburg, serving more than 4,000 low-income households. SPHA's mission is to provide safe, sanitary, accessible, decent, and affordable housing to eligible citizens of the city of St. Petersburg, while enhancing and promoting resident self-sufficiency.
SPHA Back 2 School Bash in Jordan Park on August 5, 2025.
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ABOUT JORDAN PARK:
Jordan Park is a historic housing community managed by the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA). It is known for being St. Petersburg's first African American housing community. It was originally built between 1939 and 1941.
ABOUT THE ST. PETERSBURG HOUSING AUTHRITY (SPHA):
An independent quasi-governmental entity and a political subdivision of the State of Florida, operating under Chapter 421 Florida Statutes, SPHA is the local administrative agency for housing assistance programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). SPHA offers a variety of programs and services that provide affordable rental housing to low-income families, seniors, veterans, and the disabled in the greater St. Petersburg region. For more information, visit www.stpeteha.org.
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