TAMPA, Fla. – July 30, 2020 – PRLog — The Health Council of West Central Florida is holding a series of three Virtual Town Hall Zoom Meetings to gather input, comments and information from Hillsborough County community members. The Town Halls will provide a platform to assist community members and stakeholders, enabling them to review and comment on the goals, strategies and activities included in the Hillsborough County Plan to End the HIV Epidemic.

The data will be collected and utilized to help end the HIV Epidemic specific to the county. Currently, Hillsborough County is 27th in the nation for HIV infections.

“The HIV epidemic continues to impact our community and requires a community-wide response, said Teresa Kelly, Executive Director of The Health Council.  “We need the voices of as many people as possible as we work to develop a comprehensive action plan to reduce new HIV infections by 75% in the next five years and by 90% by 2030. The town halls will provide an opportunity to discuss the goals, strategies, and activities under consideration and help shape the plan for Hillsborough County.”

The dates and topics are as follows:

DIAGNOSE
August 11th:  3:00 – 4:30 PM
This meeting will focus on the first pillar to diagnose people with HIV as early as possible.

TREAT
August 18th:  3:00 – 4:30 PM
This meeting will focus on treatment of people with HIV rapidly and effectively to reach sustained viral suppression to reduce the risk of transmission.

PREVENT & RESPOND
August 25th:  3:00 – 4:30 PM
This meeting will focus on prevention of new HIV transmissions and responding quickly to potential HIV outbreaks to get needed prevention and treatment services to people who need them.

To participate, click here to register to attend any or all three of the Town Hall meetings.
(Registration is required.)

About the Health Council of West Central Florida
The Health Council of West Central Florida, Inc. (HCWCF) serves residents in Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties. HCWCF is committed to assessing the health status and resources of area residents and assisting communities with solutions to meet emerging needs.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – July 20, 2020 — Terri Hall founder and CEO of Doubletake Marketing & PR in St Petersburg, FL was selected as an outstanding CEO by Women’s Enterprise USA Magazine, a leading national publication that covers the activities of women in business.

Business leaders of business advocacy groups across the country were asked for the names of women who represent strength and determination, bring quality and innovation to the marketplace, work to improve their communities and Terri Hall was among them.

“I have a strong affinity for the not-for-profit sector whose contributions to our economy are plentiful. They too can benefit from continued marketing and public relations which is one way we can contribute,” said Hall. “Our firm has donated over 287+ hours in-kind annually to increase their voice and raise awareness of non-profits.”

“These CEOs are leading the way for other female entrepreneurs to bring competitive, collaborative and innovative services to a marketplace in motion,” said Kristin Schneider, publisher of Women’s Enterprise USA. “Our Outstanding WBE CEOs 2020 have not only built successful companies, they are changing the way the world does business.”

Hall founded Doubletake in 1999 in Tampa as an Advertising Design Studio that produced a variety of printed promotional materials for Local, Regional and National businesses. Early on, the studio won numerous awards for creativity and design for clients such as: Busch Gardens, The Florida Aquarium, M&M Mars Southeastern Division and Vetoquínol USA.

Under her direction, the firm today has expanded to a full-fledged Marketing and Public Relations Agency serving corporations and businesses such as AAA, BJ Wholesale Clubs, Smashburger, and Goodwill Industries. The agency is now located at The Poynter Institute in St Petersburg, FL.

Doubletake is a WBENC Certified Women-Owned Business.

TAMPA, Fla. – June 19, 2020 — Wheels of Success will be presenting a car to William Johnson, a single dad to celebrate Father’s Day. William works as a security guard and also takes care of his 4 year old son with some help from his mom. Being able to get to and from work is an essential part of his employment. Having this car will also make it easier for him to do simple things, like trips to the grocery store or getting to doctor appointments.

Thanks to the Facebook donations on Giving Tuesday, Wheels of Success raised the funds to make the necessary repairs to William’s “new to him” 2003 Kia Rio with less than 50,000 miles. Wheels found out about William on Facebook through the request of a former client, who is doing well. Isn’t it great when things come full circle!

“What a great opportunity to present a car to a single dad on Father’s Day! We want to especially thank our Facebook family for helping us raise the funds for the repairs on this car, said Susan Jacobs, Founder and CEO, “this is a great example of how we put every dollar to good use to keep those wheels turning. Thanks so much to everyone that gave to us during Giving Tuesday – every donation counts!”

About Wheels of Success:
Wheels of Success is dedicated to providing personal transportation solutions by partnering with the community in a circle of support to keep people working and sustain their independence.
Since June 2003, Wheels of Success has helped over 1,040 families obtain or continue work by providing them with reliable transportation through a program of car repairs, vehicle replacement, related licensing services, car payments, down payments and car-care classes.

You can also donate your car – running or not – visit: http://wheelsofsuccess.org/want-to-help/donate-car.html

TAMPA, Fla. – April 29, 2020 — With the COVID-19 pandemic concerns taking priority of our public lives, Sandra Leppert & Associates responded by carrying new products specifically geared to protecting employees and customers in businesses that deal directly with the public or people in closer proximity.

For over 30 years the company has been designing, supplying and installing fixtures, flooring and retail display systems in retail stores and chains nationwide.

“We knew we had to do something that would enable our customers to respond quickly with solutions that would protect their sales associates as well as their customers,” said Sandra Leppert, CEO of the company.

People Protection Systems – barriers or shields between the cashier or clerk and customers available in plexiglass or tempered glass panels; standard sizes and custom sizes; temporary or permanent installation is available nationwide; company branding, Informational and directional floor decals are available for all these products

MedSafe Antimicrobial Cabinets, Lockers and Shelving – Made in the USA. Specially formulated MedSafe Antimicrobial powder coating finish protects against bacteria, microbes and mildew for up to 20 years. Ideal for a variety of settings such as healthcare facilities, athletic facilities, schools, day care centers, senior care communities, residential housing, hospitality settings and cruise ships.

COVID-19 Essentials – includes KN95 face masks, disposable 3-ply surgical masks, disinfectants, gloves, hand sanitizer (in bulk and individual packets), easy-to-read reusable forehead thermometers and a variety of disposables including paper towels, trash bags and toilet paper.

Please call for availability. First come, first serve.

About Sandra Leppert & Associates:
Sandra Leppert & Associates is a WBENC certified, women-owned business that creates, designs commercial and store interiors, installs flooring, interior & exterior signage (including LED signs), display systems, and store makeovers in the retail trade. The company supplies a wide range of people protection shields, lockers, shelving, disposables, flooring and more. For more information please contact Sandra Leppert at  or info@slfixtures.com

TAMPA, Fla. – April 21, 2020 — With infectious diseases like Coronavirus and HIV being top of mind in our communities, the Health Council of West Central Florida is launching an online survey on April 22nd. The survey is aimed at gaining input from community members to represent a diverse population in every area of the county regardless of HIV status. Ending the HIV Epidemic, an initiative supported by the CDC, selected Hillsborough County as an HIV hot spot in need of an innovative plan to address the HIV epidemic through the social determinants of health. Hillsborough County is one of 48 counties with the highest rates of HIV diagnoses nationally.

“Barriers to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV are the same as those being discussed daily in coronavirus coverage. Limited testing (especially in vulnerable communities), housing insecurity, access to healthcare, racial and ethnic disparities and transportation are common in every area of public health,” said Teresa A. Kelly, Executive Director of West Central Florida.

“The CDC provided guidance for the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the form of four pillars: diagnosis, treatment, prevention and response. These pillars are consistent to the major issues within the coronavirus pandemic – as inequities in the social determinants of health challenge these viruses and our communities.”

The survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HGM5Q6K) will be posted online (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HGM5Q6K) and distributed through May 8th to assess community attitudes around diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV in Hillsborough County. Results from this survey will determine the strategies and how they are implemented in the Ending the HIV Epidemic Plan for Hillsborough County.

Click here (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HGM5Q6K) to access the survey.

About the Health Council of West Central Florida
The Health Council of West Central Florida (http://www.hcwcfl.org/), Inc. (HCWCF) serves residents in Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties. HCWCF is committed to assessing the health status and resources of area residents and assisting communities with solutions to meet emerging needs.