Daystar Life

08/27/2026

Daystar will be closed from September 5-7 to allow our team to celebrate Labor Day. This includes the new volunteer information sessions which will resume on September 12.

08/26/2026

🎉 Happy 99th Birthday, Marian! 🎉

Today we're celebrating someone truly special. Marian Nadon turns 99 — and she's still showing up to serve her neighbors!

Since 2005, Marian has volunteered twice a week in our Clothes Closet, helping countless individuals and families find the clothing they need and the dignity they deserve. Twenty years of faithful service. That's the heart of who we are.

Marian, thank you for living out "People Helping People" every single week. You inspire all of us.

Happy Birthday from your whole Daystar Life family! 💛

08/25/2026

We are proud to celebrate Maria Ortiz, who was nominated for the Community Impact Award through Simply Healthcare's Simply the Best Awards.

Simply the Best Awards are an annual recognition program honoring outstanding service and leadership in the nonprofit and community sectors across Florida.

These nominations reflect the compassion, generosity, and commitment of our amazing volunteers, staff, and community supporters. Thank you for helping make Daystar the wonderful place we know and love!

08/24/2026

Thousands of Pinellas County neighbors spend more than 30% of their income on housing. The ALICE Threshold stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and describes working families who earn more than the federal poverty level but still struggle to survive.

Nearly half of St. Petersburg falls under this threshold; these neighbors are less likely to have emergency and retirement savings.

That means people are choosing between filling their tank or paying their utilities, and getting groceries or paying rent.

We’re on a mission to change that. Through our healthy food pantry, fresh produce garden, financial assistance programs, and more, we help St. Pete families build lasting stability.

Be part of the solution by giving any amount today: https://givebutter.com/DaystarCircleOfHope

Just $25 can feed someone for 2 weeks.

08/21/2026

Boo-ling for a Cause is BACK! Save the date for October 18 for our annual Halloween bowling and costume party!

📆 Sunday, October 18, 2026
🕕 12:00pm – 3:00pm
📍 Ten Pin Lanes
🎟️ $30 for adults | $20 for kids under 12
🎃 Includes 3 games of bowling, shoes, snacks, drinks, and prizes

Come ready to win awards for best dressed and top bowler while enjoying candy for the kids, pizza, raffles, and prizes.

Best of all, every ticket supports our neighbors in Pinellas County with our healthy food pantry, financial assistance programs, health and wellness support, and more.

Grab your tickets early before the lanes fill up: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/boo-lingforacause2026/event/daystarlife/

Thank you to our generous presenting sponsor, Ten Pin Lanes, for hosting this event!

Join us Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 12:00–3:00 pm at Ten Pin Lanes for our annual Halloween bowling and costume party. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for kids under 12 and include three games of bowling, shoe rental, snacks, drinks, and a chance to win prizes. Register a team of 5 for $100.

08/20/2026

Nearly half of local households earn above the federal poverty line but still don’t make enough to afford the cost of living in Pinellas County. Families shouldn’t have to choose between groceries, rent, or utilities.

That’s why we’re so grateful to Circle of Hope members who donate each month to keep our neighbors fed and make our health and financial wellness programs possible.

Consistent giving from our members means reliable support to our community.

Here’s how you can join and make a difference:
🤲 $25 feeds a community member for 2 weeks
🤲 $50 provides 2 weeks of meals for a family of 4
🤲 $100 helps a family keep their lights on
🤲 $250 can prevent homelessness

Your generosity is more powerful than you think.

Make a gift of any amount today: https://givebutter.com/DaystarCircleOfHope

08/19/2026

Our pantry shelves are nearly empty, and we need our community's help right now. 💛

Every person who walks through our doors leaves with a Pantry Staples Bag, filled with the basics that get a family through the week: pasta, rice, soup, canned veggies, cereal, and peanut butter and jelly. Last week alone, we handed those bags to 472 neighbors, and we're running out of what we need to keep them full.

Here's how you can help us restock our shelves:

🥫 Drop off shelf-stable donations Monday–Friday, 9–4:30
🚚 Host a Fill-A-Truck event: we bring the truck to you, and your business, group, or community fills it up
📦 Organize a donation drive with your workplace or neighbors
💻 Make a financial donation at daystarlife.org

We're looking for shelf-stable staples like pasta, rice, canned soup and veggies, cereal, peanut butter, and jelly (no fresh produce or frozen items, please).

Want to host a Fill-A-Truck event? Reach out to Alyson Voit ([email protected]), and we'll get it set up.

Every bag counts, and every donation helps us keep them ready for our neighbors. Thank you!

08/18/2026

🌶️ Recipe drop from our nutritionist, Wendy!

If you grabbed a grocery bag from our pantry this month, you'll find one of these tucked inside. This one's a keeper: Buffalo Cauliflower Bites. Crispy, a little spicy, and so easy to make in an air fryer or your oven.

Here's what you need:
🥬 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
🌶️ ¼ cup hot sauce (Frank's, Louisiana, Texas Pete, whatever you've got)
🧈 4 tbsp butter, melted and divided
🥣 ¾ cup flour

How to make them:

1️⃣ Heat your air fryer or convection oven to 370°F. Mix the hot sauce with 2 tbsp of the butter in a big bowl. Toss in the cauliflower until it's well-coated, then sprinkle the flour over top and toss again.

2️⃣ Spread the florets in your fryer basket or on a pan. Air fry or bake 10–12 minutes until golden and crispy, giving them a shake or flip halfway through.

3️⃣ Stir the last 2 tbsp butter with a splash more hot sauce. Drizzle over your bites and serve with ranch or blue cheese if you like.

Wendy loves finding fun ways to work more veggies onto the plate, and these disappear fast. If you make them, tag us so we can see! 💛

08/17/2026

Happy National ! 🥳 Today we're celebrating everyone who makes Daystar special.

The need in our community is growing. This July, 1,681 people received food assistance at Daystar, up from 1,225 last July- an increase of 456 people, or nearly 37%.

As food, clothing, housing, gas, and other essentials grow more expensive, families are facing hard choices about where their limited dollars go. Behind every number is a neighbor, a parent, a child, or a senior wondering where their next meal will come from.

Meeting that need is only possible because of our amazing volunteers.

They are the heart of Daystar Life, bringing hope to Pinellas County, and every year we strive to give back even more than the year before.

YOU can help us build a stronger, more resilient St. Petersburg by joining our beloved group of volunteers.

Learn more and sign up: https://daystarlife.org/volunteer/