From its most popular time in the Roaring Twenties, Downtown Tampa has restored some of its most popular original attractions to preserve the history.

Historic Tampa... (more)

From its most popular time in the Roaring Twenties, Downtown Tampa has restored some of its most popular original attractions to preserve the history.

Historic Tampa Theatre – Built in 1926 as one of America’s most elaborate movie theaters, the ornate Mediterranean-style structure has maintained its historic feel and offers a movie experience unlike any other! Recently ranked as the number three movie theater in the world, each movie begins with a unique performance played on the historic Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ.

The Floridan Palace Hotel – Also built in 1926, the hotel was meticulously restored and renovated, and recently reopened in 2012. The Floridan is one of the few hotels in Tampa Bay on the National Register of Historic Places.

Henry B. Plant Museum – Built in 1891 as the Tampa Bay Hotel and a stop along the rail line, the hotel brought many visitors and business to Tampa Bay. Renovated and restored, the original furnishings, architecture and artifacts still adorn the walls. Now on the University of Tampa campus, visit the Museum and be taken back to a time of magnificent balls and tea parties.
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By now, we all know that diversity drives innovation and sparks creativity. We know that inclusion strengthens teams and helps retain employees. The mix of diversity and inclusion... (more)

By now, we all know that diversity drives innovation and sparks creativity. We know that inclusion strengthens teams and helps retain employees. The mix of diversity and inclusion (D&I) increase market share and improve outcomes. D&I does more than boost morale, it boosts bottom lines.
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According to Forbes, companies with effective D&I strategies are 35% more likely to outperform the national industry median and list an average of 24% higher year-over-year revenue growth than companies that don't focus on D&I.

So why isn't every business, organization and institution leveraging D&I for better results?
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Because it's hard to talk about D&I, let alone implement effective practices. That's where we come in. Community Tampa Bay offers expertise in crafting the content and curriculum to lead participating individuals or companies through a culture shift towards inclusion.
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Let us assess the inclusiveness in your organizations and craft a specifically tailored training plan to get you where you want to go. (less)

ANYTOWN® empowers diverse groups of young people to create more inclusive and just schools and communities where all individuals are treated with respect and understanding.
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ANYTOWN® empowers diverse groups of young people to create more inclusive and just schools and communities where all individuals are treated with respect and understanding.

Community Tampa Bay’s ANYTOWN® is a five-day, four-night residential leadership and diversity education program that brings together 50 to 60 adolescents, ages 14 to 18, of diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds to build a culturally diverse community from the ground up.  Each ANYTOWN® session is staffed by between 18 and 22 volunteers, with a ratio of one volunteer for every two participants. The participants, or delegates, live, socialize and dine alongside each other.

ANYTOWN® helps delegates become role models in their families, neighborhoods, and communities.  They are inspired through transformative dialogue and genuine cross-cultural interactions. When delegates acquire a deeper understanding of themselves and a sense of belonging, they are able to more openly accept and appreciate those who are different.  Delegates at ANYTOWN® learn to identify their commonalities and celebrate their differences. This awareness starts the process of learning to lead their communities and schools in inclusive activities that create more authentic, understanding environments, reduce conflict and build a better society.  The program lays the foundation for participants to pass their newly-gained knowledge on to others by bringing out the leader in every individual and training each person to become an enthusiastic advocate for inclusion. (less)

The City of Tampa and CARD-USF have joined forces on an initiative announced by Mayor Bob Buckhorn during his State of the City speech in April 2017 called “Autism Friendly... (more)

The City of Tampa and CARD-USF have joined forces on an initiative announced by Mayor Bob Buckhorn during his State of the City speech in April 2017 called “Autism Friendly Tampa”. It is our goal to create a more welcoming and sensory friendly experience for people of all abilities. CARD-USF has provided training and technical assistance to various departments within the City of Tampa and will continue its efforts into 2018. Here are some of the activities completed by CARD-USF:

• Autism Friendly DecalAutism Friendly training has been completed for city employees in Parks and Recreation, Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue totaling more than 1,700 employees.
• Rescue vehicles used by Tampa Police and first responders from Tampa Fire Rescue will be outfitted with a visual communication card to better assist those who have limited verbal communication skills.
• Training for additional employees in various city departments is being scheduled for 2018.
• “Distract Paks” and visual aids for communication were designed by CARD-USF and distributed to 15 city parks locations. “Distract Paks” are containers full of sensory toys and activities for youngsters who may need to have something to help them manage difficult situations.
• Tampa Riverwalk Social Experience Story was developed and is now available. Social experience stories provide families and individuals the opportunity to review what to expect at a location prior to a visit.
• Sensory Garden designed and installed in Kathryn Malone Center.
• New and expanded programs are being developed such as “no score” team sports, private swimming lessons and water safety classes, gymnastics and dance with a therapist.
• Three parks have been designated to receive new sensory- friendly equipment specifically designed to meet the needs of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

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