Free Church Job Fairs Come to Tampa Bay This Fall: Better Together's October and November Dates

Published: September 16, 2026 | By LocalJobPage Team

TAMPA, FL — Some of the most useful job fairs in Tampa Bay this fall won't be in a convention hall. They'll be in church fellowship halls, from Tampa Heights to Pinellas Park, Brandon and Lutz. Better Together, the Florida nonprofit that works to keep families together through jobs, childcare and mentoring, has five free hiring events on its Tampa Bay calendar between October 1 and November 7, each built around face-to-face interviews with hiring managers.

Five free church-hosted job fairs, October 1 through November 7. Second-chance employers are welcome, and registration is required.

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Organizer	Better Together, with host churches
Dates	October 1, 6, 8 and 20, and November 7, 2026
Where	Tampa (two), Pinellas Park, Brandon, Lutz
Cost	Free for job seekers
Registration	Required, on each event's page
Who it's for	All job seekers, including people with barriers to employment
Questions	Better Together hotline, 239-470-2733

📅 Table of Contents

October 1 — Tampa Job Fair at Exciting Central Tampa Baptist Church
October 6 — Tampa Job Fair at Crossover Church
October 8 — Pinellas Park Job Fair at First United Methodist Church
October 20 — Brandon Job Fair at New Hope Church
November 7 — Lutz Job Fair at Heritage Christian Community Baptist Church

🏆 Who's Behind These Tampa Bay Job Fairs

Better Together started in Florida as a volunteer safety net for parents in crisis. When a job loss, eviction or medical emergency threatens a family, the group lines up short-term host families and mentors so kids can stay out of foster care. Steady work is the other half of that plan, so the group runs job fairs with local churches. The format is simple: employers come ready to interview, and job seekers are encouraged to apply online ahead of time so they can spend their time talking with hiring managers.

Two things set these fairs apart. Employers who hire people with barriers to work, including a criminal record, are specifically invited. And the Tampa events note short-term childcare for kids during the fair, which matters for a parent who can't find a sitter for a Tuesday morning.

Tampa Job Fair at Exciting Central — Thursday, October 1

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Exciting Central Tampa Baptist Church, 2923 N. Tampa St., Tampa, FL 33602

This is the first one on the calendar and the one with the clearest employer list. The organizer names Publix, Panera Bread, Kane's Furniture, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), Park Home Care, Scotlynn USA Division, Superb Staffing Solutions, HSS, Pura Vida Miami and OnBoard Tampa Bay. That spans grocery, restaurant, retail, transit, home health, freight and staffing, so most entry-level and hourly job seekers will find someone to talk to. The church sits just north of downtown, a short hop off I-275. Short-term childcare is offered. Register for October 1.

Tampa Job Fair at Crossover Church — Tuesday, October 6

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Crossover Church, 1235 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33612

Tampa's second stop is on East Fowler Avenue near USF and Tampa's Uptown district, which makes it an easy trip for North Tampa and Temple Terrace residents. The organizer hasn't posted an employer list for this one yet, but promises face-to-face interviews with hiring managers. Employers can mark whether they hire people who don't speak English fluently, a real help for Spanish-speaking job seekers. Childcare is available. Register for October 6.

Pinellas Park Job Fair — Thursday, October 8

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | First United Methodist Church Pinellas Park, 9025 49th St., Pinellas Park, FL 33782

The only Pinellas County date in the series. The organizer lists St. Petersburg College, Kane's Furniture, Panera Bread and AutoZone among the employers, which gives this fair a mix of retail, restaurant and higher-education jobs. Apply to the employers online before you go, so the conversation at the table is a real interview and not a pitch to visit a website. The event page doesn't mention childcare, so plan for it. Register for October 8.

Brandon Job Fair at New Hope Church — Tuesday, October 20

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | New Hope Church, 121 N. Knights Ave., Brandon, FL 33510

East Hillsborough gets its turn in the heart of Brandon, which is handy for job seekers in Valrico, Seffner and Riverview. No employer roster has been posted yet. The format matches the others: face-to-face interviews, second-chance employers welcome, and online registration required for job seekers. Childcare isn't mentioned on this listing. Register for October 20.

Lutz Job Fair at Heritage Christian Community Baptist — Saturday, November 7

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Heritage Christian Community Baptist Church, 14801 N. 15th St., Lutz, FL 33549

The last event, and the only one on a Saturday. That makes it the best pick if you already work weekdays and are hunting for something better. The church sits east of I-275 on the Lutz edge of North Tampa. Employers haven't been named yet, so check the event page again in late October. Register for November 7.

⚠️ Read This Before You Go

Register first. Each event page asks job seekers to sign up online. None of the listings say whether walk-ins will be admitted, so don't count on it. If you're unsure, call the 24/7 hotline at 239-470-2733.
Childcare isn't listed everywhere. The two Tampa fairs mention it. The Pinellas Park, Brandon and Lutz pages don't, so confirm before you bring kids.
Employer lists can change. Only the October 1 and October 8 pages name employers so far, and no employer has posted a number of openings.

🔎 How to Pick the Right Ones

Grocery, restaurant and retail job seekers: October 1 in Tampa Heights (Publix, Panera Bread, Kane's Furniture) or October 8 in Pinellas Park (AutoZone, Panera Bread, Kane's Furniture).
Drivers and transit hopefuls: October 1, where HART and Scotlynn are on the list.
Parents with young kids: the two Tampa dates, October 1 and October 6, which both list childcare.
People with a record: any of the five, since second-chance employers are invited to all of them.
Already working weekdays: Saturday, November 7, in Lutz.
East Hillsborough: October 20 in Brandon.

What to Bring to Any of Them

Several printed copies of an up-to-date resume
A photo ID and your work history with dates, so applications go fast
A list of references with phone numbers
Confirmation that you registered on the event page
Clean, neat clothes you could interview in, because you might

🔎 Where to Aim Before the Fairs

Applying online before you walk in turns a quick hello into a real interview. These searches cover the employers named so far and the kinds of hourly jobs these fairs usually bring.

Start here:

FAQ

Are the Better Together job fairs in Tampa Bay free?

Yes. Registration is free for job seekers at all five events. Employers may make an optional donation.

Do I have to register ahead of time?

Yes. Each event page asks job seekers to register online, and none say whether walk-ins are accepted. Register on the page for the date you plan to attend.

Can I attend with a criminal record?

Yes. Better Together invites second-chance employers, meaning companies open to hiring people with barriers such as past incarceration.

Is childcare provided?

The October 1 and October 6 Tampa events list short-term childcare. The Pinellas Park, Brandon and Lutz listings don't mention it, so call 239-470-2733 before you bring children.

Which employers will be there?

The October 1 fair lists Publix, Panera Bread, Kane's Furniture, HART and others. The October 8 fair lists St. Petersburg College, AutoZone, Kane's Furniture and Panera Bread. The other three haven't named employers yet.

Will this guide be updated?

Yes. We'll update it as employer lists are posted or if any date changes. Check back before you go.

Walk In Ready, Walk Out Hired

Pick your date, register on the event page, and apply online before the fair. Create your free LocalJobPage account to save searches and get new Tampa Bay openings as they post, or browse every Tampa job now.

Employers: Hiring in Tampa Bay? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach local job seekers before they walk into a fair.