THE MISSION CONTINUES REPORTS FOR DUTY IN TAMPA FOR EPIC ANNUAL MASS DEPLOYMENT: OPERATION TAMPA BAY BLITZ

From June 20-24, Hundreds of Veterans and Volunteers Join Forces to Transform Communities with High-Impact Projects

TAMPA, Fla., June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mission Continues, a veteran service and volunteer organization that deploys veterans across the U.S. to help under-resourced communities, will be deploying hundreds of veterans to Tampa for their ninth annual Mass Deployment. From Friday, June 20, 2025 – Tuesday, June 24, 2025, veterans and volunteers will work on high-impact projects to improve communities across the Greater Tampa Area.

Each summer, The Mission Continues (TMC) organizes massive community projects in one United States city. In previous years, The Mission Continues has conducted Mass Deployments in San Antonio, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and various other cities throughout the country. In 2024, more than 1,200 volunteers took part in the Mass Deployment in San Antonio, working on improvements at five community sites.

Veterans and volunteer teams are dispatched to the city to undertake projects aimed at enhancing the region, such as constructing community gardens, renovating schools, painting women's shelters, improving homeless shelters and executing various other essential initiatives.

This year projects will take place at the Volunteers of America Florida – James Cole Village (VOAF), The Sustainable Living Project, Sunrise Children's Services, Tampa Parks and Recreation: MLK Recreation Complex with West Tampa Grows Healthy Garden, Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, and Town and Country Elementary School.

"We're thrilled to bring Mass Deployment to Tampa—a city with a proud military history, a strong sense of community and a spirit of resilience," said Annie Hudson, Chief Programs Officer of The Mission Continues. "Mass Deployment leaves a lasting impact on communities. It strengthens regions and builds meaningful connections between veterans and volunteers."

Tampa has deep ties to the military and veteran communities and, according to the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, more than 120,000 veterans live in the Tampa Bay region and there are more than 12,000 active-duty personnel at MacDill Air Force Base.

For Army veteran and TMC Tampa Platoon Leader, Tara Tilson, Mass Deployment is personal: "As a veteran, I am always looking for ways to find purpose and give back, and that's what led me to The Mission Continues. Now I get to join my fellow veterans and community members to serve with a common goal, and it's an honor to have Mass Deployment in our city."

National giants and longtime partners are joining TMC in Tampa with Platinum Sponsors CarMax, and ToolBank, and Official Beverage Sponsor the Coca-Cola Company supporting this national event with surrounding communities. TMC is expecting to host 1,500 volunteers over five days of service. Still, with space at each project site limited, those who would like to volunteer are encouraged to sign up early to ensure they can support the community they would like to serve with.

Volunteers interested in supporting this meaningful deployment can sign up by visit https://www.missioncontinues.org/operation-tampa-bay-blitz/.

About The Mission Continues

The Mission Continues is a national veterans organization dedicated to empowering veterans as community-based leaders. We invest in veterans and under-resourced communities, developing new skill sets and equipping a growing veteran volunteer movement with the tools to drive positive change. We deploy veteran volunteers in more than 40 cities nationwide alongside nonprofit partners and community leaders to improve educational resources, address food insecurity, increase access to parks and green spaces, foster neighborhood identity, and more. Through this unique model, veterans are provided opportunities for personal connection and professional growth while generating visible community impact. To learn more, visit www.missioncontinues.org.

SOURCE The Mission Continues