NEWS

 2008  In Review

2008 has come to a close, and it has been a blessed year for the Ministry. Together, we have fed and clothed over 4500 participates. We have provided temporary shelter for 15 women, women w/children and family units. We have provided work boots, lunches for the working homeless and needy men and women who are looking/have jobs, but not enough money to provide a lunch while they work, during our Day Break Ministry which starts at 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday mornings. We have paid the electric bill for 10 single Moms, paid the water bill for 2 families, and put bags of groceries in the homes of 102 family units ranging from 4 to 8 children who couldn’t receive help from any place else, and have given out groceries to approximately 15 – 20 homeless on a weekly basis.  For our needy guests who are living in a motel/or living in a county park relocating and every 14 days and are in need of food, we also provides help in that area.

During our Monthly Outreach Program, we serviced from 45 – 80 homeless and needy guests per month with clothing, shoes, toiletries, groceries, a hot meal, and other miscellaneous supplies. We furnished 4 homes for families who didn’t have anything, and provided bus tickets for homeless participants relocating with family members in another state. We provided another Organization with Infant formula and Pampers for their participating Moms… who couldn’t get a reserved supply from the WIC program.

We have offered consolation and prayers to grieving members of the homeless population, and also to our Needy families at times that have been very difficult for them. We have offered hope and understanding to some of our dying homeless men and women, who have cancer. The Ministry offers a hands-up to our mentally challenged group with weekly donations of breads, pastries and often-times nuggets of lotion, shampoo, deodorant, tooth-brush and tooth-paste and other needful items. To see the look of thankfulness in their eyes, we never think twice about making the trip to Plant City.

On our 5th Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner, we fed over 700 men, women and children. We provided haircuts, foot massages, over 3000 pieces of clothing, soap, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, tooth-brushes, tooth paste, socks, blankets, shoes, etc. We gave out approximately 200 bags of groceries to families, and over 100 bags to the homeless. A seven course meal was enjoyed by guests and volunteers.

On Christmas Day, we co-hosted our 3rd Annual Dinner with the Methodist River of Life Cluster Churches, and over 350 guests were fed an awesome dinner, with the Cynthia Pinckney Ministries providing the clothing, shoes, toiletries, bags of groceries, etc. We gave out over 400 gifts to children as we celebrated the birth of Christ.

Thank you so much volunteers for your help in making the Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner a blessing to so many. Without your help in one way or another, we couldn’t have given a hands-up to the many that were served. You were outstanding. I know there were lots of challenges and some volunteers forgot some of the things they were trained to do, but it will be better this year with the implementations we are incorporating. Each year, we learned lots of new things on how we can best serve the people of God for the upcoming year.


November 07, 2008

Hello Volunteers, and Friends of the Ministry,

We have come to a close of another year of milestones for our Monthly Outreach Ministry. We have been blessed to be a blessing to God’s people. Our last Outreach for the year was held on Saturday, October 18th, and again it was successful. When you read the word successful being used by us in the Ministry, it means we were been able to encourage, strengthen, feed, clothe, and counsel at least one person during our gathering time. At Able Body Labor, we had 63 individuals sign-in for services, which included 32 men, 18 women, and 13 children. We served a delicious hot meal, and gave out donations of clothing, shoes, toiletries, socks, shoes, take home breads & pastries, canned & staple food items, and juices. Thank You Volunteers for doing an awesome job. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Thanksgiving/Christmas Volunteer Training  Class – The 1st year volunteer training class for the Thanksgiving/Christmas Dinner went very well, and over 250 participates are certified in Having the Heart of a Servant.  It was a great experience for me and I look forward to stream-lining and enhancing the training class next year. A thank you goes out to all participants who sacrificed their time going through the training, so they could serve at the dinners… for God’s people.


Cynthia Pinckney – Director/Founder

(813) 571 – 1556

Where we offer a hand-up, not a hand-out

"He who is kind to the poor, lends to the Lord and he will reward him for what he has done". Proverbs 19:17 NIV





October 6, 2008

Hello Volunteers,

September’s Outreach at Able Body Labor was very successful. We fed 76 guests; 47 men, 21 women, and 10 children. We had 7 individual famiy units represented who mainly needed bagged groceries, but stayed and shared dinner with us. There is a great increase in families needing help, especially during the financial  crunch we are experiencing. I receive calls everyday from individuals, families, and social workers for their clients, needing clothing, food, and monies for rent and electric and it is getting worst. One of the biggest problems we are seeing, is when land lords are in foreclosure with their rental properties, and the families are unaware until the Sheriff comes around to have them evicted. It seems that some land lords continue to receive rent, but purposely not tell the renters they are going through foreclosure. Yes, this is a time for us to be our brother’s keeper, because we all need each other.

Next Monthly Outreach: October 18th is our next Outreach and will be held at Able Body Labor, 12006 Martin luther King Dr., Seffner, FL 33584, from 12:00 – 2:30 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering, please email or call. This will be our last Outreach for the year since we are hosting the 5th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner in November, and will co-host the 3rd Annual Christmas Day Dinner in December with the United Methodist Cluster of Churches.


Cynthia Pinckney

August 25, 2008

Greetings Volunteers & Friends of Ministry,

Our Clothing and Feeding Outreach on Saturday, August 16, was successful. We serviced (47) men, (25) women, and (15) children with a hot meal, clothing, shoes, toiletries, and other needful items. We are seeing more family units come out than ever before - needing bags of groceries. We gave out 38 bags of groceries to families, and 45 canned food items to the homeless. Many people are in a greater need now, and we will see more if our economy continues to decline.

Our next feeding is September 20, at Able Body Labor…12006 Martin Luther King, Seffner, FL 33584, from 12:00 – 2:30 p.m.

The Ministry (joined by another ministry) was able to rescue a mother & son from sleeping on the streets, and put them in a motel until permanent housing is found through The Homeless Recovery Program. Please pray for her as she go through the maze of finalizing paperwork, and for placement in a special needs school for her son. There is another mother with 5 children (of whom we were not able to help) living in a van, and need your prayers also.

VOLUNTEER TRAINING CLASS:  There are only TWO remaining training classes offered for serving at the 2008 Community Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners, and if you are interested in volunteering, please  register for either September 27th, or October 25th  by calling the Ministry (813) 571 – 1556, or email – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Available seating is limited, so call and reserve your place. If you are unable to attend the class but would like to volunteer in another area of service, inform us at that time. There are a few remaining areas of service that do not require training.

THANKSGIVING DAY:  Our 5th Annual Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner will be held at the Bill Carey Boys and Girls Club – 213 N Knights Avenue, Brandon, FL 33510, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Everyone involved in the set-up on Wednesday, November 26, (the day before Thanksgiving) and the completion of set-up early Thanksgiving morning, will be contacted as to what time to report. Finger foods and drinks will be served on Wednesday evening for anyone coming directly from work.  activities planned for our guests.

We humbly thank each of you for what you have already done for the Ministry. We can’t do what we do, without you. Last year, we had over 900 people to walk through the doors of the Boys and Girls door on Thanksgiving Day, and we are looking forward to another banner year. We learned lots last year, and have put parameters in place so we can perform in an excellent manner. Thanks for helping us help those less fortunate, and to bring many people together for fellowship.

VOLUNTEERS – YOU ARE THE GREATEST!!

Volunteers & Friends of Ministry:

Our Outreach Activity to the homeless and needy on Saturday, July 19, was successful. We fed a total of 68 individuals – 15 children, 22 women and 28 men. Every month we are seeing an increase in family units coming out not only to be fed, but are asking for canned and staple food items. We served a hot meal, gave out clothing, shoes, an assortment of toiletries, socks, children books, and handed out 35 bags of groceries. Many expressed their thankfulness for what they were receiving because of the desperate need they have found themselves in. There was a 72 year old grandmother who kept saying thank-you, because she didn’t have much food at home to last her until the 1st of the month. We were so glad we were there for her, and for the extended family.

Our Next Outreach Activity is Saturday, August 16, at Able Body Labor – 12006 Martin Luther King, Seffner, FL 33584.  Set-up is at 11:15 p.m., and dinner will be served at 12:00 p.m.

Volunteer Training Classes are on-going. If you would like to participate in the Thanksgiving/Christmas Dinners, but have not taken the class, please do so as soon as possible. Visit the website www.cynthiapinckneyministries.org for the time and date of the next training, and to also sign up. If you have any questions, please contact Cynthia by phone (813) 571 – 1556, or email.

Training classes are not needed in this and a few other areas.   We will need help with set-up the day before Thanksgiving (Wednesday, November 26, from 6 – 8 p.m., and also on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 27, from 9.- 11:00 a.m. If your schedule conflicts with taking the volunteer training class but you would love to volunteer your time, this would be the ideal area for you to offer your assistance.There are a few other areas of which training is not required. For more info, call or email. (Finger foods and drinks will be offered if you are coming directly from work).

The Thanksgiving/Christmas Needs List is posted on the webiste, so please take a moment to see how you, your group or organization can be an integral part of the 5th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner to the homeless, needy, hungry and displaced.

The Ministry will be offering Opportunities for Volunteers to help sort and pack clothing, shoes, toiletries and other miscellaneous items for our Thanksgiving/Christmas giveaways on September 6 and 13, October 4 and 11, and November 1,8,15 and 22. If you are interested in helping, please email/call for more information.

The Ministry thanks each of you for the part you play in helping us be a blessing to our less fortunate. Without your help, support and prayers, we would not be able to provide assistance to the many who call, or referred to us each week.

Cynthia Pinckney – 08/08/08

THE STORM DIDN’T STOP THE FEEDING OF THE HOMELESS -  NEEDY

The summer storm w/lightining didn’t stop the monthly feeding of the homeless and needy at Labor Finders on Saturday, June 21, 2008. In particular, that day was the most successful feeding we have had since inception February, 2007, and also with the most volunteers (24) showing up braving the downpour of lightining and rain. Even though most of the volunteers were soaked, we all felt joy being able to serve the many people who showed up during the worst rain storm the Ministry has witnessed during a feeding. We had 35 men, 36 women, 14 children and 2 infants needing a helping hand and we were happy to be there to honor our commitment to them. We noticed there were more family units asking for canned and staple food items for their households than ever before… because they are finding that they don’t have enough food stamps to last until the 1st of the next month. We were thankful we had more than enough food, drinks and desserts for everyone. We gave out clothing, shoes, toiletries, workboots, socks, canned food items, etc., and we also offered blood pressure checks by a licensed RN.

Our 5th Volunteer Training Class for the 2008 Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner on July 26 is full, but there are yet openings for classes held on the 4th Saturday’s in August – October. If you are interested in serving during these events, please go to the website and register. The classes are filling up fast, and only volunteers who have taken the classes will be allowed to serve during these days. If you are only interested in helping to set-up the day before Thanksgiving, please call to be added to the roster. If your church group or organization is interested in having me come and conduct the volunteer training on site, please get in touch with the office.

I would like to thank all of you who donate in some way to the Ministry… whether it is your most valuable asset – your time, tangible material or financial giftings, we appreciate all that you do. We can’t serve the community in an excellent manner without the help and support of our community/area churches, and we are blessed to have you in our corner. We especially like to acknowledge the help from the Community Service Team - Fishhawk Volunteers Youth Group for braving the rain with us. Remember, we are a 501( c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible.