Lealman Exchange is home to various tenant organizations that serve our community and beyond. Today, we chatted with Becca McCoy, Lealman Navigator for Lealman Exchange Community Center.
Tell us a little about yourself and your organization: St. Petersburg Foundation manages the Lealman Exchange through a public-private partnership with Pinellas County. St. Petersburg Foundation is an organizational and community capacity builder, and here at LEX, we oversee a Collective Impact Partnership where the efforts of numerous nonprofits, some based in our building and some outside the facility, are compounded for maximum impact. In addition to working with our partner organizations, I assist our Lealman neighbors in finding resources for various social service needs.
Tell us who you serve and how: Our mission at LEX is to celebrate Lealman pride and increase opportunities through programs and partnerships. We invite anyone to reach out and make a connection – for assistance finding resources, collaborating, and renting space. While our priority is our Lealman neighbors, we don’t check zip codes or turn anyone away.
What drives your mission? We believe in building a better tomorrow for the Lealman community. Lealman has a fascinating history in the 1860s, founded by a public servant who quit his bureaucratic life in favor of growing strawberries and oranges. That spirit of wanting to live life on one’s terms, prioritizing the simple things that matter – that still resonates in Lealmanites. This community deserves to be supported, celebrated, and to thrive.
Do you have an accomplishment you are particularly proud of you’d like to share? Our whole team is very proud of the Lealman Farmers Market! We identified a need in the community and pursued a solution. The resulting event is fun, communal, and laid-back, while accomplishing its goal.
We look forward to it every month!
What programs or opportunities are available to our Lealman neighbors through your organization? We are an incredibly active building with programs and opportunities happening almost 7 days a week! In addition to the Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm operations of the facility:
- We host a monthly Farmers Market on the fourth Sunday of the month from 10 am-2 pm
- We host a mobile medical clinic in partnership with USF’s Nursing Program that is free to anyone on the third Wednesday of the month from 9:30 am-3:30 pm
- With our YMCA partners, we have open gymnasium hours for basketball (and pickleball in the summer), senior fitness, and Parkinson’s programs.
- We host cardio drumming two nights a week: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7 pm
- We are a library satellite location where you can send reserved library books for pick-up and return any library book – even get library cards.
- We have special events popping up all the time, like mobile pet clinics and pet food giveaways.
We hope people follow us on social media and subscribe to the Lealman Voice to keep up with what’s going on. Or they can drop in anytime we are open—we love welcoming our neighbors to the LEX!
To learn more about the Lealman Exchange, visit https://lealmanexchange.org/ and follow them on Facebook / Instagram @lealmanexchange.