U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor announced today that she has filed a bill to rename the Produce Station Post Office in East Tampa after the late Rev. Abe Brown. Castor filed her bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday. She notified the Rev. Abe Brown’s church, First Baptist Church of College Hill, during services on Sunday and held a news conference today with Brown’s family, the East Tampa community and some of its leaders, including County Commissioner Les Miller and City Councilman Frank Reddick.

The Rev. Brown died in Sept. 2010 after serving the Tampa Bay community for years. He was the beloved pastor of the First Baptist Church of College Hill, Hillsborough County Public Schools educator, football coach, dean of Chamberlain High School and founder of Prison Crusade Ministries, later renamed Abe Brown Ministries. He was dean of students at Chamberlain when Castor attended high school.

“The Rev. Abe Brown devoted his entire life to helping others, whether in the classroom, in the guidance office, on the football field, in church or through his ministries,” Castor said. “He delivered advice, hope, guidance and inspiration and is very deserving of this honor. His life and legacy live on in East Tampa and the entire Tampa Bay community. The honor will be a reminder to all of his selfless service to our community.”

The Produce Station Post Office, 2810 E. Hillsborough Ave., was included this summer on a list of post offices under consideration for being shuttered. With the help of Castor and the East Tampa community, the post office was removed this month from the study list and will remain open.

“The East Tampa post office is a busy branch that serves our community, especially our small businesses and our older neighbors, and it is a source of jobs as well,” Castor said. “Keeping this post office open was the right decision, and I look forward to the day we dedicate this post office to the Rev. Abe Brown. He was a role model for our youth and an inspiration for our community.”