The video above is 8 On Your Side’s Jan. 2021 interview with Melody Proud
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – A local woman who thought up a way to help underserved school children in the St. Petersburg area through a merchandise line in 2021 has since donated over $10,000 worth of supplies to underserved children.
Melody Proud designed and created a line of T-shirts featuring the phrase “Live Love St. Pete” and a depiction of the city’s skyline.
She began making the shirts after she and her husband began helping a school after volunteering with their church to provide Thanksgiving meals to homeless families of a St. Petersburg elementary school.
During the non-profit’s first year, Live Love St. Pete donated supplies to four area schools and supported The Kind Mouse, a food bank in St. Petersburg that feeds local children with food insecurities.
8 On Your Side spoke with Proud in Jan. 2021 after the brand launched.
“I’ve been given many good things in my life and I have always enjoyed giving back because I know we are put on this earth to help one another,” Proud said. “And when I saw what was going on during Thanksgiving with these families, I had a feeling that it happened 364 other days of the year as well, that they might have challenges and things like that.”
Proud and her non-profit have been able to provide kids with school uniforms, supplies, incentives for testing, Christmas gifts and gift cards, lunches, breakfast and much more.
The brand has expanded to add hats, cozies, coffee mugs, tumblers, reusable shopping bags, ornaments and other merchandise.
One hundred percent of the proceeds go directly toward providing resources to school-age children in need.
Live Love St. Pete’s next big venture will take place at Localtopia in Williams Park on Feb. 12. In addition to their merchandise, they will also be giving Valentine’s Day gift boxes full of multiple merchandise options. Prices range from $48-$72.
“I wanted to find a way to involve the community of St. Pete because we’re all in this together and I wanted to come up with a fundraising opportunity. The fundraising opportunity is the creation of these T-shirts, hoping that the people of St. Pete are proud of living here and loving it as we all do,” Proud previously said.
The shirts are available in six colors (teal, peachy-pink, iced blue, royal blue, black, and white) and range in sizes from children to adult XXL. They can be purchased online at LiveLoveStPete.org.
