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5 ways to be a more involved Tampa Bay resident

It’s never to late to get to know your neighbors or give back.

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Neighbors watch a presentation at a Central Oak Park meeting.

Photo via the City of St. Petersburg

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Ready to become the Mister Rogers of Seminole Heights....or Kenwood... or Ybor City?

The new year is the perfect time to refocus with a fresh perspective + create new routines. If one of those resolutions is to become a more engaged Tampa Bay resident, we have a few ideas on ways to participate and give back for a healthier community.

🗣️ Join the conversation

One of the best ways to stay in the know + make your voice heard is by attending city council or county meetings. Tampa, St. Pete, and Clearwater all also stream online, so you can tune in while making dinner or wrapping up work.

🏠 Learn

Connect with local history through the Tampa Bay History Center or the St. Petersburg Museum of History and their many exhibits. For example, on Wednesday, Feb. 15, register for Florida Conversations, where you can learn about the history of Carver City + Lincoln Gardens.

🫂 Connect

Still need to meet your neighbors, or want to diversify the friend group? Tampa Bay has dozens of thriving neighborhood associations. Consider stopping by a monthly meeting. Check out events and more for Hillsborough, Pinellas, or Clearwater.

🌊 Volunteer

Get outdoors and enjoy Tampa Bay or the Hillsborough River, or one of our many water bodies, all while helping our community by keeping them clean. Sign up to aid Tampa Bay Watch with oyster restoration or for a monthly cleanup day at Crescent Lake. Not an outdoorsy person? Here’s 20 more options for investing in our area — from delivering meals to becoming a volunteer guardians ad litem.

🎫 Attend a new event

Deviate from your weekly routine and stop by a new event — like the Market at Water Street or attending Localtopia — and be sure to represent Tampa Bay. We recommend trying out neighborhood or historic home tours, like the West Tampa Walking Tour.

    P.S. you’re already doing a great job. Reading about your city every morning is an important part of staying involved in the place you love.

    Let us knowwhat are some of your favorite ways to be involved in our community?

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