3,400 individuals in Hardee County struggle with finding food each day, but our Annual Partners at The Mosaic Company are aiming to change that. By sponsoring summer food programs and mobile pantries, Mosaic brought thousands of meals to individuals who lack the resources to purchase food regularly. Their generosity has energized the community and positioned health as a priority.
When budgets are tight, people cut different items out of their budget to make ends meet – unfortunately, food tends to be one of the first budgets to shrink. Individuals may cut their portions in half or water down ingredients to make meals last longer. While helpful in theory, these practices lower the nutritional content of food and can lead to health problems. Committed to building healthier futures for all individuals, our annual partners at Amazon support our food sourcing programs to bring healthy foods to those who need them most.
1 in every 4 children in Tampa Bay struggle with hunger, but thanks to the support of our annual partners at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we can work to expand our child programs. Through partnerships with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, we bring healthy snacks and afternoon meals to children enrolled in academic and athletic activities after school. Together we can work to bring healthy foods to nearly 200,000 food insecure children across Tampa Bay.
Bank of America is dedicated to nationwide community development across and that’s no different here in our backyard. Our local Bank of America branches are committed to building stronger communities by addressing the root issues that prevent progress – like hunger. Over 600,000 individuals across West Central Florida face hunger every day, and nearly one-sixth of these individuals reside in Polk County. Our Annual Partners at Bank of America are evolving this community by sponsoring mobile pantries throughout this area and bringing healthy food to those in need.
The hunger landscape is changing and the manner in which individuals find food is evolving. Families in need of food assistance often face constraints on time, money, and transportation too. Opening food pantries in locations easily accessible to these individuals, like schools, is paramount. With hopes of evolving food pantry accessibility, our annual partners at the Tampa Bay Rays offer their support to our Feeding Minds School Pantry program. The ability to shop for groceries while picking up children from school helps diminish constraints and bring healthy foods to the whole family.
Wawa focuses on building happier, stronger communities across the United States. Strong communities arise when all basic needs, like food, are met. With food deserts prevalent across Tampa Bay, Wawa has committed to supporting programs like Mobile Pantries and My Mobile Market. These programs bring fresh, healthy foods directly into low-income neighborhoods that do not have easy access to grocery stores. Nutritious foods promote healthy lifestyles and energize our community to prosper.
Our annual partners at Valley Bank believe we can achieve a hunger-free Tampa Bay. The path towards a hunger-free community begins with assessing the issue of hunger and removing barriers to solve the problem. Many who struggle to afford food struggle to find employment so a work skills training program places individuals a step closer to financial stability. With the help of Valley Bank, we have built a workforce development program, FRESHforce, which offers training in the warehouse, culinary, and truck driving industries with opportunities for employment following graduation. Valley Bank will not only help build strong foundations in the lives of our neighbors but empower them to achieve success.
As the world’s largest food distributor, Sysco understands that food on the table is more than a meal. Food is not only one of our most basic needs, but it also stimulates conversation, introduces culture, creativity, and flavor to our palates, and bonds us together in a shared experience. Food is at the forefront of our mission and an integral part of our signature fundraising events like Fork Fight and Epic Chef. Without the food and monetary donations we receive from annual partners like, Sysco, we would not be able to feed the hundreds of thousands of food insecure individuals in our area.
On average, mobile pantries bring fresh produce, meat, bread, and shelf-stable groceries to about 250 families each session. Our new annual partners at Wells Fargo have just committed to supporting 15 mobile pantries across Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. Thousands of families will feel their impact as nutritious foods are brought directly into their neighborhoods.
1 in 4 children across Tampa Bay struggle with hunger daily. Lack of proper nutrition often results in behavioral, academic, and health issues that can be detrimental to a child’s future. Luckily, school food pantries can provide a stable grocery supply for children and families that struggle to make ends meet. With the help of our new annual partners at United Healthcare, Feeding Tampa Bay will be able to start additional school pantries and nourish our future leaders.