ABOUT US

UMOJA Inc., a 501 (c) 3 organization was established on July 17, 1995 by a group of volunteer concerned citizens of East Tampa. Over the past 28 years, Umoja has provided services to youth and their families providing access to nutritious food and academic tutoring. The organization also hosts seasonal community wide events such as health fairs and holiday celebrations.

The leadership team of UMOJA Inc. are volunteers dedicated to helping assure that our location remains a beacon of hope for the individuals and families we serve. The organization is lead by Rev. Kirk R. Bogen who serves and the Chairman of the Board. Rev. Bogen is a strong advocate for social economic, and social justice for all citizens. 

 Charlotte Anderson serves as Vice Chairman of the UMOJA Inc. organization, and has extensive experience with program development, resource development, collaborations and partnerships related to addressing the socio-economic needs of under-served communities throughout the Tampa Bay area.  For the past 33 years, Mrs. Anderson has served in the capacity of operations for non-profit organizations.

Shirl McCray, serving as Secretary for the Umoja organization also oversees Umoja’s community activities including local and community wide events, food pantry operations, Girl Scouts, and other activities designed to provide support to youth and their families for the past 25 years. Ms. McCray has a B.S. in Management, a Master in Library Science and was an Administrator with the State of Florida for 35 years.

The finances of the Umoja organization are overseen by Deborah Thomas, Treasurer, who has extensive experience in bookkeeping and contract management for the past 35 years.  Ms. Thomas has a B.S. in Business Management and was an Accountant for Hillsborough County for 20 years. She helps to ensure that finances are kept in order with emphasis on accuracy and integrity.