Tag Archives: businesses

One Hope United ramps up gift drive for as many as 10K kids around Tampa

A beloved tradition is returning to the Tampa area this holiday season, promising to spread joy to thousands of children and families. One Hope United is kicking off its annual Holiday Hope Express, a festive event designed to deliver gifts and holiday cheer across the region.

**Spreading Holiday Cheer Through the Holiday Hope Express**

Led by the nonprofit organization One Hope United, the Holiday Hope Express runs through December 12. Its mission is to provide gifts and holiday tidings to as many as 10,000 children and families in need around Tampa Bay.

One Hope United serves as a foster care and adoption services agency for the region, but during the holiday season, its focus turns to making the holidays brighter for children through its signature gift drive.

**How Local Businesses and Community Members Can Help**

The Holiday Hope Express is primarily a toy drive, with a special emphasis on encouraging employers and organizations throughout Tampa Bay to organize their own drives in their workplaces or communities. Gifts collected are then delivered to central donation points managed by One Hope United.

Local businesses can also contribute by making monetary donations online. “Every toy makes a difference,” says Damon Cates, President and CEO of One Hope United. “The Holiday Hope Express is a way for our community to come together and brighten the holidays for children who need it most.”

**Resources for Organizing a Holiday Drive**

To help businesses and groups get involved, One Hope United offers a variety of resources. Their Holiday Hope Express website features helpful tools like the “Hope Conductor Toolkit,” which provides step-by-step instructions for starting an internal toy drive campaign.

Support materials are available, including social media assets, suggested gift lists, and downloadable flyers to promote drives in the workplace or community.

**Key Dates and Recommendations**

One Hope United recommends that participating companies wrap up their collection drives by December 5, ensuring that all gifts are delivered to the nonprofit by December 12. For donors looking for guidance, the suggested shopping budget for each child ranges between $25 and $50.

**Get Involved Today**

The Holiday Hope Express offers a meaningful way for the Tampa Bay community to unite and make a difference this season. For more information on how to participate or to make a donation, visit the [Holiday Hope Express website](#).

Help One Hope United bring holiday joy to local children and families—every gift truly counts!
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/765811-one-hope-united-ramps-up-gift-drive-for-as-many-as-10k-kids-around-tampa/

OpenAI signs deal with PayPal to let users link wallets to ChatGPT for transactions

ChatGPT is set to make it easier for users with PayPal accounts to buy and sell products and services directly through the platform. PayPal and OpenAI have announced a new partnership that will allow users to link their PayPal wallets to ChatGPT, streamlining transactions and enhancing the user experience.

This integration is expected to roll out in early 2026, bringing a range of benefits for both consumers and merchants. PayPal recently confirmed the deal in a press release published on its newsroom website.

As part of the collaboration, PayPal will adopt the “Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)” to connect its payment and commerce system with ChatGPT. This innovation will enable users to conduct seamless transactions without ever leaving the ChatGPT interface.

For merchants using ChatGPT to sell goods or services, PayPal will integrate its extensive merchant network, empowering small businesses and brands to carry out transactional business directly within the platform. This move presents a significant opportunity for PayPal to expand its merchant and commerce markets into a vibrant and dynamic ecosystem.

PayPal President and CEO Alex Chriss highlighted the potential of this partnership, emphasizing its role in driving growth and innovation within the company’s commerce strategy. With the fusion of ChatGPT’s capabilities and PayPal’s robust payment infrastructure, users and merchants alike stand to benefit from a more connected and efficient digital marketplace.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146549/openai-paypal-deal-wallet-chatgpt