Azinger Family Compassion Center opens, seeking to break the cycle of poverty, abuse
One More Child celebrated the grand opening Monday of the 12,000-square-foot Azinger Family Compassion Center designed to serve vulnerable children and struggling families in Manatee County.
It’s estimated the facility could provide 4 million meals a year through its network of 100 church food pantries and nonprofit partners, such as Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee.
“Who knew there was such a need in Manatee County?” said Paul Azinger, who with his wife, Toni, lent their names to the new facility.
“We can’t believe it. You can tell we’re excited,” Azinger , a 12-time PGA golf champion and lead golf analyst for NBC Sports, said of the opening of the new facility.
After visiting a family compassion center in Lakeland, part of the ministry of the Florida Baptist Convention, Toni Azinger returned home believing that Manatee County needed one, too, to make a difference in the lives of hungry kids, sex-trafficked children and working families living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Paul Azinger followed up with a visit of his own to the Lakeland facility, and quickly decided to work to try to bring a similar facility to Manatee County.
“Toni knew who to call. Actions are different than words,” Paul Azinger said.
“God has blessed us all so much. Everything you see in this warehouse will be gone five days from now,” Azinger said of donations from local grocers and nearby Sysco Food Solutions.
Azinger touched on his deep faith by saying, “My life changed when I woke up my morning and asked how I could make one person’s life better that day.”
The Azinger Family Compassion Center is located on the nine-acre campus of One More Child and Guardian Angels of SW Florida, 3410 Bouwer Court E. Ground was broken two years ago.
One More Child serves foster families, single moms, struggling families, hungry children, and trafficking victims.
Jerry Haag, president and CEO of One More Child, said that overwhelming challenges often mean that, without help, hope is not there for many families.
“We are going to break the cycle of poverty and abuse on this ground today,” Haag said. “We turn our compassion into action for our community. Today is the launch of the beginning. We need for you to pray for us. We need for you to come along and volunteer. And we need you to spread the word.”
Thirteen percent of Manatee County’s population lives in poverty, and another 31% struggle to pay for basic needs such as housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology, according to a report published in 2019 by the United Ways of Florida.
“This isn’t about a hand out here at One More Child or at this family compassion center but a hand up to help people who are trying and can’t quite make it,” Azinger said.
For more information about One More Child, visit https://onemorechild.org/.
This story was originally published October 11, 2021 at 3:05 PM.
