Editor’s Note: Francesca Stubbs, senior pastor at Oasis Church, gave these remarks during the June 9 Zephyrhills City Council meeting.
I stand before you as the founder and chief operating officer of Oasis Community Outreach and Cafe to share the critical needs of our community and to seek your invaluable support.
Oasis Community Outreach and Cafe has taken on the humbling task of being a beacon of hope for many in our city since the unfortunate closing of Healing Hearts Cafe in December 2024, providing essential support to those facing hardship.
Recently, we have witnessed a dramatic rise in families with young children seeking our services, driven by economic challenges and job losses.
Our mission has expanded from feeding the homeless to supporting entire families who find themselves in desperate need.
While we are deeply grateful for the generous contributions of food and supplies from our donors, some financial seeds from our friends and our community, and the huge support shown from our church, Oasis Church, and its members, these donations do not always cover all of the growing financial overhead necessary to maintain and carry out our operations.
Despite our best efforts, including a commendable grant application applied for through Pasco County for community development funds, we were not selected due to a limited amount of funding available and the number of organizations with similar applications here in the East Pasco region.
As we face the summer months and an increasing number of children out of school, the need for our services grows ever more urgent. I come before you with a heartfelt appeal for financial assistance as our city council and community leaders.
Your support would enable us to continue our outreach, expand our programs, and ensure that every individual and family, especially those with children in our community, has access to basic necessities that they deserve.
I’m asking the city to look into their budget and to assist with funding our community endeavor.
We are a 501c3 organization operating under the auspices of Niecy’s Hope for Kings and Queens, who seeks to be able to continue our assistance for the residents of our beloved neighborhood.
But we know collaboration and help from our partners will provide a significant boost.
Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Thank you for your time, your compassion and your commitment to our community.
I look forward to the possibility of partnering with you to make a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve here in our beautiful city of Zephyrhills.
INFOBOX: Council member responds
Zephyrhills City Council Member Steve Spina said the city provides funding to CHIPZ (Community Hope & Intervention Project of Zephyrhills). He also mentioned homeless outreach by the Zephyrhills Police Department.
Spina asked Stubs if her organization worked with these groups.
“The idea of CHIPZ was to bring different groups together so everything’s under kind of one umbrella,” Spina said. “I think before we were to pledge more money to another organization, I’d like to see what you can do with CHIPZ and work with the police department and see if we can’t resolve these issues. Because CHIPS does all those things as well – working with providing utility reimbursements, trying to keep families in their houses, and then finding emergency care.”
Stubs said her organization collaborates with CHIPZ regularly but she said there’s a gap in service when it comes to helping children of struggling families.
