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Dawn’s Heart, home

Our mission

Gratitude should lead somewhere

At Dawn’s Heart, it leads to action that improves another person’s life.

Mission statement

Dawn’s Heart turns gratitude into action by helping people through life-changing hardship, mobilizing communities to meet immediate needs, and creating pathways toward greater stability, opportunity, and hope.

Inspired by a personal journey through Stage 4 adenocarcinoma lung cancer and the power of people helping people, Dawn’s Heart begins with cancer patients and families while extending compassion across the Tampa Bay community through practical assistance, volunteer service, and opportunities for self-sufficiency.

What the mission asks of us

Three commitments

  1. Help people through life-changing hardship

    Beginning with newly diagnosed cancer patients and their families.

  2. Mobilize communities to meet immediate needs

    Giving neighbors, businesses, and congregations a visible way to act together.

  3. Create pathways toward stability, opportunity, and hope

    Helping motivated people move toward careers and self-sufficiency.

These commitments are carried out through First 180, Fill the Truck, Skilled Trades Legacy Project, and Heart Kits.

Explore our work

Our governing cycle

Gratitude, then Action, then Impact, then Gratitude

The Dawn’s Heart governing cycle: Gratitude, then Action, then Impact, then Gratitude again.

  1. Gratitude. Someone is grateful.

  2. Action. They act.

  3. Impact. Someone’s life gets better.

  4. Gratitude. That person has something new to be grateful for.

And the circle continues.