First-Ever Volunteer Open House Was a Success

On Saturday, July 13th, we hosted a Volunteer Open House at Daystar Life Center. This event was the first of its kind at Daystar, and we are humbled and pleased with the turnout!

We opened our doors to the public for an Open House event featuring personalized tours of the campus, opportunities to meet and chat with staff and current volunteers, and information about what we do at Daystar. Guests enjoyed light refreshments and good conversation about our mission and banding together to help those in need in our community.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to learn more about what we do. A huge shoutout to those who signed up to become part of the volunteer team during the Open House event. We are excited to welcome you to the team!

If you were unable to attend the Open House and are interested in learning more about how you can give back to the community by volunteering, check out our volunteer opportunities below.

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Daystar Receives Donated Childrens Bikes from Exciting Team-Building Event

The Boucher Brothers hosted a mini Olympic Games at Skinny Mixes' company retreat last week. The event was held at the beautiful Don Cesar hotel in St. Pete beach.

The Skinny Mixes crew split into four teams and were challenged in four exciting mini-games. With every game, teams earned pieces of disassembled kids' bikes. The grand finale was a race against the clock to see who could put the bikes together the fastest.

We're super excited to share that Boucher Brothers chose us to receive the completed bikes! These bikes will go to four lucky kids who visit our Life Center, and we can't wait to see their smiles.

A huge shoutout to everyone involved for making this happen! We're grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact together.

Food Pantry Farm Update

Black Swallowtail Caterpillars Spotted at Our Food Pantry Farm

This summer, our food pantry farm has become a haven for black swallowtail caterpillars! These beautiful critters have taken a liking to our fennel plants.

We plant fennel in the Spring and Fall as a vegetable for people to eat, but we've saved a few fennel plants this summer to "go to seed". This allows us to collect and save the seeds for next year. The added bonus is that the swallowtail loves it!

It’s fascinating to watch: once these caterpillars form their chrysalis, it takes just 9 -18 days for them to transform into stunning butterflies.



Caterpillars and butterflies are beneficial for gardens, especially organic ones like ours. The diversity of critters and insects help the ecosystem of the garden thrive, contributing to a healthier and more resilient environment.

Keep an eye out for these lovely butterflies on your next visit to the farm!

Packs and Snacks for Kids

Help us reach our goal!

Our Packs and Snacks for Kids campaign spans throughout July. We're collecting healthy snacks for kids in Pinellas County going back to school next month.

Healthy snacks fuel young minds! Ensuring that kids will have nutritious options at school and after school means better focus, improved learning, and thriving students.

Our goal is to provide healthy snacks to 100 local children - and we are getting close - but we're not there yet. As July comes to an end, we could use your help!

Here's how you can help:

Donate kid-friendly snacks (individually wrapped or in pouches) to our center or support our fundraising efforts to purchase healthy snacks for kids below.

Water Safety Reminders

By Shelley Klahs

Note from the editor: This article is exciting, because it's the first of its kind featured in the newsletter! For the first time, we have a volunteer content writer. Shelley discovered Daystar Life Center online and our mission aligned perfectly with her personal values. After reaching out and speaking our executive director and our marketing staff, Daystar welcomed Shelley Klahs to the volunteer team as a content writer. Check out her work below.

Living in Florida offers year-round exposure to water, from natural sources like ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans to everyday items around the home. Household risks include buckets, wells, cisterns, septic tanks, hot tubs, pools, landscape ponds, bathtubs, sinks, fish tanks, and toilets. Even one inch of water can be dangerous for babies. Always empty containers like buckets, baby pools, and bathtubs that collect water.

Drowning can happen to anyone, quickly, and often silently. Water safety involves multiple layers, and using all of them together can significantly reduce the risk of drowning. The National Drowning Prevention Alliance reports that nearly 70% of child drownings occur during non-swimming activities, highlighting the need for barriers and alarms to prevent accidental access to water.

Inside and around our homes, it's crucial to maintain barriers to water access. Ensure residential sliding doors close properly and never leave them open. Regularly inspect and maintain pool fences and gates, especially after extreme weather, to prevent gaps. Keep furniture and play structures at least four feet away from fences to deter climbing.

The CDC notes that over half of Americans don't know how to swim. Learning basic water safety skills is vital, though not a guarantee against drowning. Supervision by a capable adult is essential, and always check water first if a child is missing.

In natural bodies of water, additional risks like rip tides and flood debris exist. Use USCG-certified life jackets sized appropriately and always fastened. Educate yourself about emergency preparedness, including CPR and the location of rescue equipment.

For more tips and information, visit:

• National Drowning Prevention Alliance
• NDPA Water Safety Toolkit
• CDC Summer Swim Safety
• U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan

Our Mission



We fight hunger, poverty, and hopelessness

by providing the necessities of life to our neighbors in need.



We engage, educate, and empower the community by promoting the value of nutrition and financial literacy.



Our mission would not be achievable without the support of our community, including individuals, corporations, and groups who share our vision.

We deeply appreciate these partnerships and value the role they play in helping us advance our work in the community.

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Daystar Life Center, Inc. is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your donations are deductible for federal income tax as allowed by law.