The Laker/Lutz News

Nye Commercial Advisors

Fighting child hunger in Pasco, one backpack at a time

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When Amber Chancey and her husband, Paul, moved to Wesley Chapel in 2016, the couple had no idea the impact they would have on their new community.

They did know that they wanted the best education for their children, and they also knew that a healthy, balanced meal played a vital role in this.

Since its founding in 2018, Full Circle Food Outreach has found an advocate in NYE Commercial Advisors — which allows food donations to be dropped off at the company’s office. (Courtesy of Amber Chancey)

Meanwhile, Susan Coffey, a third-grade teacher, and several colleagues at Double Branch Elementary School noticed there were children in classes who were constantly tired, hungry or asking to be allowed to take their school food home.

Double Branch already was collecting food donations to send home to families on a month-to-month basis.

And, when the Chanceys learned about the situation, they began brainstorming on how to better address the needs of hungry children.

That led to the creation of the Full Circle Food Outreach program, which began in February 2018.

“We thought this was an easier, more consistent way to get the food to the kids,” said Amber Chancey, who is the program’s president.

The food outreach works like this: Students either openly express a need, or school staff notices signs — such as a student falling behind academically, or not concentrating in class.

In collaboration with Full Circle Food Outreach, New Tampa Chiropractic was able to collect 80 backpacks worth of nonperishable foods this year. These items are distributed to students in Wesley Chapel schools on Fridays, so they have enough to eat over the weekend.

Once a need is determined, parents must agree to be part of the program, in order to receive a supply of food intended to last through the weekend.

After school on Fridays, each student that is participating receives a food bag with 13 nonperishable items, consisting of two breakfasts, two lunches and snacks.

“We wanted these students to have the same opportunity to benefit from their education,” Chancey said, regarding the intent of Full Circle Food Outreach. “They’re not coming to school hungry, and they’re able to focus.”

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), an estimated 6.5 million children live in households with an insufficient food supply, and roughly 16 percent of those homes have children under the age of 6.

Full Circle’s efforts have helped fill that gap at two Wesley Chapel schools, with Double Branch Elementary currently serving 21 students through the program, and Quail Hollow Elementary with 47 students.

One event that helped make this possible was a collaboration between Full Circle and the All Pro Dad organization, in which students’ fathers helped collect food donations on May 4.

The outreach also has received help from the community, when Full Circle hosted a “Stock-the-Pantry” food drive for the entire month of July.

Carmel Friendship Church, which partners with Full Circle Food Outreach, has stacks of nonperishable goodies so Wesley Chapel students won’t go hungry over the weekend while not in school.

Several local businesses volunteered themselves as drop-off locations for food donations, including NYE Commercial Advisors, New Tampa Chiropractic and Injury Center, Carmel Friendship Church, My Gym New Tampa, Faith Baptist Church and Premier Gymnastics.

The GFWC New Tampa Junior Woman’s Club also has contributed food and money.

A Stock-the-Pantry party was held at the Country Walk Clubhouse in Wesley Chapel on July 28 to showcase the collected food donations, amounting to a value of more than $2,000.

Open to the public with refreshments, the function also raised an additional $250 from raffle tickets for items such as two Chuy’s Dinner certificates, a girl’s cruiser bike and a two-night stay at a Northwest Florida condo.

According to the foundation, $5 is enough to feed one student for a weekend, and it is striving for the goal of collecting $17,000 for the 2018-2019 school year, allocating some 2,720 food bags.

Chancey wants to provide services to more schools in Pasco County, but because Full Circle is a nonprofit organization, it must depend on community and business contributions to expand its work.

Her objective is not only to ensure that students are well-nourished, but that they learn the importance of charitable work and, eventually, will give back to others.

“Potentially, they’re going to make better grades, that’s going to help them progress and end up in a better place as an adult,” she said.

To enroll a student in the program or to make a donation online, visit FullCircleFoodOutreach.org.

For additional information on the foundation, call Full Circle Food Outreach at (813) 619-8009, or email .

Published November 7, 2018

Hooters coming to Land O’ Lakes? Not so fast

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Could it be a little wishful thinking?

Drivers heading north on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard saw a surprise announcement on the sign that once shared dinner specials at the old Mosquito Grill & Bar: the long-rumored Hooters chain was coming to that location next year.

A sign in front for the former Mosquito Grill & Bar on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard touts a new Hooters restaurant taking over the lakeside property. However, it’s not clear who put the sign up, because those with an interest in buying the property deny there’s a Hooters coming in. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
A sign in front for the former Mosquito Grill & Bar on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard touts a new Hooters restaurant taking over the lakeside property. However, it’s not clear who put the sign up, because those with an interest in buying the property deny there’s a Hooters coming in. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

The problem, however, is it’s not true. At least for now.

“I’ve called it one of Land O’ Lakes’ biggest urban legends,” said Meredith Kleker, executive director of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. “All I’ve ever heard about that is rumors, and we’ve been hearing them for years.”

In fact, Hooters was rumored to be coming to Land O’ Lakes in 2012 when Rapscallions was still open at 4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The owner of the restaurant, however, told an online publication at the time that it wasn’t true, nor were reports that Rapscallions was closing.

Rapscallions did indeed close a short time later, but Hooters didn’t swoop in to take over the lakeside property. Mosquito Grill & Bar opened there instead.

That restaurant shut down last spring, once again opening the rumor floodgates that included the Clearwater-based chain. And since Centennial Bank claimed ownership of the 2 acres of land that covers the two lakeside lots along U.S. 41, the sign announcing the new Hooters was even more believable.

There are plans for the land, and there is even a potential buyer working to get it under contract, but it’s not for Hooters, said Bill Nye, a commercial real estate broker in Wesley Chapel.

“There is definitely not a Hooters going in there,” Nye said, although he said it was far too early to give details on what might go there instead.

Nye’s name came into the mix after he called Pasco County officials three weeks ago asking about the property, according to Ruthann Dattoli of the county’s planning and development department. His questions centered around county requirements that might come into place if a developer decided to raze the 42-year-old building, or simply remodel it.

Nye also mentioned that the neighboring residential lot to the north could be turned into a parking lot, Dattoli said.

It would be difficult for a restaurant chain to build something new on the land, Nye said, because its lakeside location has far different environmental requirements than what existed in the 1970s.

“It’s going to be almost impossible to tear that building down and put another one there,” said Nye, the owner of Nye Commercial Advisors. “There are some stringent setbacks to adhere to, and the county is not going to bend very much on them.”

Centennial foreclosed on a $900,000 mortgage on the property owed by C of Pasco Inc., last month, which purchased the property in 2010. At the time, it was the home of Rapscallions, which was featured in a 2011 episode of the former Travel Channel program “Man v. Food,” hosted by Adam Richman.

An ownership group associated with Rapscallions purchased the property in 2005 for just under $1 million, and continued to operate the restaurant there even after selling to C of Pasco in 2010.

Mosquito struggled to follow Rapscallions despite plans to completely remodel the location. Yet, no matter who takes over that land, it’s a prime piece of real estate, said the chamber’s Kleker said.

“If you look at that location, it’s a good location,” she said. “And it’s not too close to other stores.”

It’s also not far from Ukulele Brand’s, which has a lakeside restaurant on the other side of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. Yet, even if a new restaurant goes into the Mosquito spot, Kleker feels there’s still plenty of business to go around.

“I don’t think it would hurt Uke’s at all,” she said. “It’s good to have a thriving business in our community. And while we love our small businesses, we still love all businesses that can thrive here.”

A spokeswoman for Hooters of America Inc., and the related original company Hooters Inc. — which both own Hooters restaurants throughout the country — told The Laker/Lutz News Monday there were no plans to open a Hooters in Land O’ Lakes.

That would leave the closest Hooters restaurant in Port Richey, which is owned by Hooters Inc., the original Hooters company that owns a handful of locations in the Tampa Bay area, as well as Chicago and New York City.

Correction to print edition story: Hooters of America and Hooters Inc. both continue to operate and open Hooters restaurants throughout the United States. Although Hooters of America, based in Atlanta, is responsible for the national brand, Hooters Inc. in Clearwater — owned by the chain founders — still control the Tampa Bay territory, as well as additional restaurants in Chicago and New York. Hooters Inc. controls all the Hooters restaurants in the Tampa Bay region, including the one at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. A story in the Nov. 19 edition of The Laker/Lutz News stated otherwise.

Published November 19, 2014

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