ABOUT Community Assistance Ministry – CAM

The history of serving the needy in Venice has evolved over the last 50 years.  In 1971 an organization called Friendly Instant Sympathetic Help (FISH) started providing many services to those in need in the Venice area. In February of 1991 FISH changed its mission into providing only emergency transportation to the community.  FISH eventually shutdown in 1993. Filling the gap vacated by FISH a new organization was formed called Community Care and Share of Venice Florida (CC&S).  CC&S started in 1991 providing food, used clothing, emergency funds, and other necessary supplies for those in need in the Venice community. In January of 2003 Trinity Presbyterian church Board of Deacons agreed to adopt CC&S. The Deacons of Trinity created the Community Assistance Ministry (CAM) to absorb and ensure that critical services for the needy were available in Venice. In 2020 Trinity Presbyterian Church decided that CAM should be separated from the church. This decision was driven by the need to grow CAM services, enable CAM to seek funding from the greater community and seek government resources. Trinity Presbyterian church still supports, houses and provide funding to this mission. Trinity views this organization and it’s mission as a critical service to the community and a mission focus of the church. Between 2020 and 2023 Trinity worked to fulfill all government regulations to stand up CAM as a separate organization.  CAM was established as a separate entity in March of 2022 and received it’s Non-profit status from the IRS with the same effective date.  CAM is a 501-3c non profit, adhering to all standards and guidelines that defined a Non-profit organization.  The services of CAM were adjusted to meet the changing conditions during the COVID pandemic. CAM is currently focused on providing food to the food insecure of Venice and surrounding communities on Tuesday and Thursdays 9AM to 10:30AM. CAM also provides gas cards, food cards, and emergency cash to those in need on a limited basis.  Please support CAM with your pocketbook and your volunteer hours. Sharing and liking our efforts on social media helps spread the word about CAM. Share the CAM story today with someone you know who can help us serve those that are in need.

Donor Opportunities:

CAM operates solely on donations from the community, churches, and food supplies from the government and community food pantries. The CAM annual operating budget is less than $75,000 a year. Please help us feed the food insecure of Venice. Donate by clicking the button below or the button at the top of this page. Everything you give will go to delivering our mission – Feeding the food insecure of the Venice community.

If you need services from CAM:

CAM can provide you with essential food supplies and provide basic necessity for families and individuals. We have food distributions on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week from 9:00AM to 10:30AM. We provide each family or individual with a weeks worth of groceries. CAM also provides cat and dog food to those that have animals.

CAM denies no one that is needy. We supply anyone in the following zip codes: 34293, 34292, 34285, 34284, 34275.

GUIDELINES TO PICK UP FOOD:

1. Car Drive Through – Groceries are put in the trunk of your car only
2. One Family Per Car
3. One Pick Up Per Week
4. CAM SERVES the listed zip codes only. Other zip codes are serviced by other CAM like organizations. We can help you get to the right organization.
5. Please ask us for help, we want to help you.
6. Pedestrians and Bicycles are being served at Center of Hope located on Shamrock Dr.