By J.A. Jones, Staff Writer
ST. PETERSBURG – S.T.O.R.Y. (Stringing Together Obviously Remarkable Youth) 727’s impact is growing throughout St. Pete and Pinellas County.
Founded in 2021, the founders — Gary Gaines, Aaron Green, Eric Jackson, and Stevmoney Medaries – have developed a nimble operation that has focused on serving the community’s most deeply felt need: the health of its youth and families.
With a powerful team of volunteers, STORY’s strategy allowed them to supply food needs and family services through an impactful feeding program during the COVID-19 outbreak, and again during the 2024 storms.
Offering youth the opportunity to volunteer during food giveaways has been a meaningful way to show young people the power of community engagement. Board president Eric Jackson noted that youth have been “truly humbled and grateful to participate; it has also allowed us to become closer to them and their families and provide additional assistance or resources.”
The organization has continued to implement youth activities including outings, field trips, vacation camps, and hosting guest speakers on Sundays at local neighborhood parks.
STORY provides Exposure & Impact Sumer Camp for ages 5-17 that exposes the youth to many arts and professions in the Bay Area they may not be able to attend at home, said Jackson. “We focus on south St. Pete zip codes of 33705, 33711, and 33712; but we truly extend to all of Pinellas, and some of Hillsborough, Manatee, and Alachua counties as well.”
Recently STORY began working with the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) and
the City of St. Petersburg on a youth basketball program called Rising Stars Midnight Basketball Showcase; the first tournament event is this Saturday, April 12, from 5 pm to 9 pm at Thomas “Jet” Jackson Recreation Center, 1000 28th St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712.
As natives who have had their share of impactful life experiences, STORY’s founders have shied away from the spotlight, preferring instead to focus on the work and give back to the community they love – and feel that acknowledgment from those whose lives they have impacted means more than public accolades.
“The parent appreciation for us spending time and nourishing their kids is our biggest compliment,” noted Jackson. “To hear a homeless individual express their appreciation of us is amazing. One story that stands out is a single mom fighting to get her son on track after a divorce; a very smart kid that lost focus and hope, until he became involved with STORY 727.”
Jackson said the youth continued to spend time with the STORY team as he now has mentors that he knows only want the best for him.
Talking with Jackson, it is quickly apparent that he is a deep thinker and a spirit-led leader. He is soft-spoken and doesn’t mince words or say too many. He has a heart for the homeless for a reason.
He once experienced a period of homelessness in high school and considers himself fortunate to have overcome his challenges to be where he is today. He believes one of the secrets to the organization’s success is that they have had to hold each other up, build each other up, and take care of their own families – with each other’s support.
“Three years ago, we agreed that if we can’t connect with one another, we would be no good for anyone else. If we can’t balance our own houses, we can’t help another household. So, we have a culture. We have a certain way. Yeah, we do fall, but we get up,” he shared.
The team is aware that the needs of the community continue to be great; along with family poverty, hunger, and youth trauma, they are looking towards offering programming aimed at decreasing recidivism and gun violence, and substance/opioid abuse.
Trained in conflict resolution and moral reconation therapy, Jackson and his team are looking for sponsorships to help bring intensive trainings to community members aimed at decreasing the many ills and traps in local neighborhoods.
Recently STORY supported the needs of homeless youth through winter and spring vacation camps, and they are focusing on building relationships with both for- and not-for-profit organization to increase wraparound services.
Their population includes children living at home, and displaced children in orphanages or group homes. “We have some kids with single parents with troubled behavior.”
Recent winter and spring camps with more challenged populations brought in robotics classes with Dr. Alicia Ponds, a Hillsborough County Schools STEM educator and writer. Jackson viewed the program as a successful pilot, and plans for more tech classes in the future.
Ponds relayed that the skills learned at the winter camp could help students navigate to a career choice, future education, and even life decisions; she noted that through the classes students gained skills to support team building along with its technology focus and building robots.
“The students enjoyed robotics and wanted more from the activity. Many of the students lack STEM background knowledge, and could benefit from more STEM activities, guest speakers, and field trips,” she shared.
Jackson said that during the winter and spring breaks, even with the short amount of time they had with the youth, the team was able to see “a lot of layers being peeled away.”
The desire to work with children who many say “just throw them away” is where Jackson says his heart is at right now.
STORY’s work was recognized by the Youth Advocates Program (YAP); partnership with YAP and Pastor Chris Davis’ nonprofit Faith Youth Services program, has brought children on probationary programs, aging out of foster care, or some other hardship to the fore. Jackson said the work is “to integrate them back, to get some hope.”
Read more about S.T.O.R.Y. in part two of this series, coming soon!
Follow S.T.O.R.Y. 727 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/414882613818023 and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/727.story.
