The Laker/Lutz News

Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger

Meals on Wheels looks to expand

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The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNEH), a tri-county leader in hunger relief, research and program development, is accepting applications for its 2021 Meals on Wheels for Kids (MOW4Kids) National Expansion Program.

Approved applicants can receive financial aid and technical assistance to develop and launch home-delivered meal programs in communities across the eastern United States.

When schools closed due to COVID-19, TBNEH launched MOW4Kids Tampa Bay to serve disadvantaged children who depend on school meals.

Now, the Network to End Hunger is offering a unique opportunity to organizations that are interested in launching community programs that deliver nutritious meals to transportation-disadvantaged and homebound families with children.

The MOW4Kids expansion is looking to provide support to at least 15 partner organizations in 2021.

“Meals on Wheels for Kids is an essential community program. We are excited to bring MOW4Kids to other communities across the country. The national expansion of this program is vital at this stage because the need is not going away. Kids are going hungry at home by not going to school. These children need our help now and we will do everything we can to make sure they have the nutritious meals they need,” said Caitlyn Peacock, executive director, in a news release.

Schools and community organizations can access the MOW4Kids Request for Proposal and Partner Application at MOW4Kids.org.

For additional information, visit NetworkToEndHunger.org.

The network also is accepting donations to help support the MOW4Kids National Expansion Program on its website.

Published March 03, 2021

Meals On Wheels for Kids expands

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The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNEH), a tri-county leader in hunger relief, research and program development, will expand Meals On Wheels for Kids (MOW4Kids) into Lutz (zip codes 33548, 33549) and Safety Harbor (zip codes 33759, 34695, 33761), in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, respectively.

The program will begin delivering food to children attending school from home the week of Nov. 30. Deliveries will take place out of Mort Elementary School in Tampa and Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center in Safety Harbor, in partnership with the Nutrition Services and Transportation Departments at Pinellas County Schools and Hillsborough County Schools.

The Network’s innovative MOW4Kids program launched this past March, and was developed in response to COVID-19 school closures, to serve children (18 years or younger) with meals delivered to their homes by volunteers.

The program presents an alternative option for kids that are not able to access meal distribution sites throughout the county and/or kids that have difficulty accessing open food pantries.

Currently, MOW4KIDS serves Clearwater, Gulfport, Lealman, and St. Petersburg in Pinellas County; Tampa (33612 and 33613) and Wimauma in Hillsborough County; Dade City in Pasco County, and will continue to expand the program, to include Safety Harbor and Lutz.

Volunteers with level 2 background checks will help deliver Meals On Wheels for Kids on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting at 10 a.m., and will board public school buses, along with the bus driver, to then go out and deliver shelf-stable boxes of food and cold meal packs to children and families.

At the core of this program is nutritious food delivered to the homes of children and their families, and it will provide meals and shelf-stable groceries, including produce, as resources allow.

Children may experience an increase in overall nutrition, food security, and feelings of social connectedness from volunteers stopping by.
To receive meals delivered to your home, visit NetworkToEndHunger.org/mow4kids/, or call (813) 344-5837.

Volunteers are needed each week to help pack boxes and deliver meals on various days throughout the week out of Mort Elementary School in Tampa and Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center in Safety Harbor. Routes take about an hour to complete. To sign up, visit NetworkToEndHunger.org/volunteer/.

The Network also is currently accepting donations at NetworkToEndHunger.org, to help support the MOW4Kids program. A donation of $20 will provide a week of Meals On Wheels for Kids deliveries to children in need.

Published November 25, 2020

Reaching out to help others at Thanksgiving

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The Metropolitan Ministries donation tent is open, and accepting food and donations at Keystone Community Church, 21010 State Road 54 in Lutz.

The tent is open Nov. 20 to Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on weekdays and Saturdays, and noon to 3 p.m., on Sundays.

On Thanksgiving Day — a free take-out meal will be provided between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All are welcome.

Unlike the past 25 years, the Benedictine Sisters of Florida will not be hosting its annual community Thanksgiving meal, according to a newsletter published by the Sisters.

Instead of organizing the traditional gathering, the Sisters are involved in an effort to provide Thanksgiving baskets for those in need. They joined a collaboration formed with First Presbyterian Church, of Dade City. The idea for the baskets originated with Fr. Ed Lamb, of Saint Mark’s Parish. The Knights of Columbus donated $1,520 and gift cards, and the Benedictine Sisters of Florida donated $1,305 from their monthly personal allowances.

The Saint Leo University Social Service Club faculty advisor Dr. Veronika Ospina-Kammerer stepped up, as always, to raise money and supermarket gift cards for the cause.

Another outreach effort involves Life Church at 6224 Old Pasco Road. It is providing a turkey and box of food, on a first-come, first-served basis from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., on Nov. 24.

The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger also is doing its part to help brighten Thanksgiving for those in need.

The effort is expected to involve at least 300 volunteers to deliver more than 1,000 Thanksgiving meals, including turkey and stuffing.

The meals are being taken to families that are homebound or do not have access to transportation. Deliveries were set to begin at 10 a.m., on Nov. 17.

In addition to accepting donations for Thanksgiving, the Metropolitan Ministries tent at Keystone Community Church also will be accepting Christmas holiday donations, which will occur on Dec. 12 and Dec. 13, and from Dec. 18 through Dec. 23.

Want to help?
Metropolitan Ministries has a donation tent at Keystone Community Church, 21010 State Road 54 in Lutz.

Donations are being accepted Nov. 20 to Nov. 24, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on weekdays and Saturdays, and noon to 3 p.m., on Sundays. The tent will reopen for Christmas holiday donations on Dec. 12 and Dec. 13, and from Dec. 18 through Dec. 23.

Items most needed are: Canned fruit, vegetables, beans, yams, stuffing, penne pasta, instant potatoes, rice, pasta sauces, canned tuna, chicken, boxed cereal, protein bars, frozen turkeys, hams and gift cards.

Published November 18, 2020

Help needed to deliver Thanksgiving meals

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The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNEH) is in need of volunteers to sign up to deliver “Holidays on Wheels,” a Meals on Wheels for Kids program.

This program was developed in partnership with Metropolitan Ministries, to ensure every child and family has a meal for Thanksgiving.

In Tampa Bay, more than half of those who are hungry are children, and TBNEH is asking community members to be a part of the solution to help solve hunger this holiday season, according to a TBNEH news release.

At least 300 volunteers are still needed to help deliver more than 1,000 Thanksgiving meals (including turkey and stuffing) to families that are homebound or do not have access to transportation.

Deliveries will take place starting at 10 a.m., on Nov. 17. Volunteers can pick up route sheets and special delivery items from assigned pick-up sites closest to their home or work address, and will use their own vehicles to make the deliveries.

Once the volunteer’s car is loaded, the route will take about one hour to complete.

The mission of TBNEH is to end hunger in Tampa Bay by bringing people together to find solutions that eliminate barriers, increase access and knowledge, and expand the amount of nutritious food available.

For those interested in helping to deliver Thanksgiving meals, sign-up is online at NetworkToEndHunger.org/volunteer.

The network also is accepting donations at NetworkToEndHunger.org/holidays, to help support the Holidays on Wheels program.

For information, call (813) 344-5837.

Published November 11, 2020

New program aims to alleviate hunger

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The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNEH) has launched a new Holidays On Wheels program, to deliver a full holiday meal and toys to transportation-disadvantaged and homebound families with children in Tampa Bay, during the months of November and December.

The program was developed in partnership with Metropolitan Ministries, to help ensure that every family has a nutritious and joyous holiday celebration.

This season, the TBNEH will be helped by more than 300 volunteers to deliver to families that have no access to a working, or reliable vehicle.

For families who have transportation, Metropolitan Ministries again will host its annual drive-thru Holiday Tent.

Registration for the Holidays On Wheels’ program is open now to all households with children that are transportation-disadvantaged living in Hillsborough, Pasco or Pinellas counties.

Households that qualify include: those with children 0 to 18 years of age who are not able to get a ride from household members or others for life-sustaining trips; medical, grocery, work, job-related training/education and other vital services (or do not have access to their own working or reliable vehicle); and/or households led by an adult with a disability or illness, with children 0 to 18 years of age. The head of the household must pass a background check and someone must be home to receive the delivery.

The Holidays On Wheels’ deliveries will take place on Nov. 17 (Thanksgiving meal ingredients) and Dec. 16 (holiday meal ingredients and toys for children) between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The deadline to register for the Thanksgiving delivery is Nov. 5, and the deadline to register for the holiday delivery is Dec. 7, online at NetworkToEndHunger.org/holidays.

To volunteer, visit NetworkToEndHunger.org/volunteer. Driving routes for volunteers will take about an hour to complete.

To make a donation to the hunger network, visit NetworkToEndHunger.org, or call (813) 344-5837.

Published October 28, 2020

Summit focuses on efforts to end hunger

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The 2020 Sunshine Summit to End Hunger, presented by the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger in partnership with Bread for the World and Florida Impact, will be hosted virtually for the first time ever, according to a news release.

The 10th annual event is slated to take place Oct. 29 and Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST), each day, and will act as a forum for participants to learn, share and network while exploring the best practices in solving hunger.

This year’s theme is “Global Effects of COVID-19 on Food Systems and Local Effects on Emergency Feeding Efforts.”

Sessions will be locally, nationally and internationally focused on the experiences of families struggling with food insecurity, and different response programs and techniques.

The keynote speakers will be Feeding India’s founder Ankit Kawatra and co-founder Srishti Jain, who will provide an international perspective on how Feeding India responded to feed their communities during COVID-19.

“We’re excited to be working with local leaders and those from across the globe to promote not only an end to hunger, but to food insecurity and food insufficiency, for a healthy lifestyle,” Caitlyn Peacock, executive director of Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger, said in the release.

“The network works to build a hunger-free community with access to nutritious food for all,” Peacock commented.

Registration for the summit is free.

For a complete agenda and list of speakers, and to register, visit NetworkToEndHunger.org/sseh.

Published October 14, 2020

Serving up free lunches for kids this summer

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School may be out — but Pasco County Schools takes part in a program that provides free lunches to hungry children.

The program serves meals at various cafeterias, and at some pick-up locations, too.

Eight-year-old Harper Greer, of Wesley Chapel, gives a high-five to Ana Santana. On this day, the young girl had lunch with her siblings. (Christine Holtzman)

Megan Sexton, the food program’s coordinator, said Pasco was one of the first counties in Florida to implement mobile feeding.

The idea was to provide youths with a well-rounded meal close to their homes, especially when food is lacking at home or parents are at work.

“Transportation is a huge issue, especially in Zephyrhills, Dade City and some of the rural areas,” Sexton explained. “With these mobile feeding buses, we’re able to go to these communities, stop, let the kids get on the bus and eat.”

The pick-up spots consist of libraries, churches, parks and outside residential communities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds this program, which had already served 136,000 meals to kids throughout Pasco County as of the first week of July.

Two-year-old Jack Greer, of Wesley Chapel, eagerly tries to open his carton of milk. The youngster and his siblings enjoyed lunch on a recent afternoon outside of the New River Branch Library.

With the help of mobile food buses, this number is only expected to grow.

Six high-mileage school buses that were initially going to be retired, were retrofitted with tables so youths can eat in an air-conditioned space.

However, as the program began to expand in number, six vans were added to help distribute food throughout the county.

The vans don’t offer air-conditioned seating, but there are portable seats and tables, which are shaded by umbrellas.

That’s the setup at the New River Branch Library, in Wesley Chapel, where children recently were taking a lunch break.

It’s a convenient location for Patricia Buskey, and her son, Parker, who live behind the library.

“He loves school lunch, so he wanted to come out,” the mother said, with a chuckle. “He’s been coming almost every day.”

Like other kids, the 7-year-old from New River Elementary had fresh fruit, vegetables, chips and a sandwich.

Patti Collard, of Wesley Chapel, right, watches as her 4-year-old daughter, Isabella, enjoys her lunch.

Children can be selective with their items, placing foods they don’t want in the ‘share bin’ for other kids.

Patricia is glad Parker can get his favorite treats, but she also sees it as an opportunity for less-fortunate children.

“It’s so helpful,” she said. “There’s a lot of kids who need it. I know a lot of kids aren’t eating three meals a day at home.”

The county’s school system has made strides to improve the promotion of its program. This includes sending home flyers with students and advertising the program through social media like Facebook.

The school system also has partnered with the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger organization to distribute flyers to the public.

Sexton views the program as a way to help impoverished families, without singling them out.

She recalled an instance where a young girl with tears in her eyes hugged her after realizing she didn’t have to worry about how she was going to get lunch for the day.

“It really touches your heart when you realize this goes on right around us every day, and some of us are just oblivious to it,” Sexton noted.

Efforts to get the word out about the program are apparently paying off.

New River Library has benefited from these efforts. This year, it’s serving 60 to 70 kids a day, compared to an average of 20 a day last year, Sexton said.

Still, there are some who find out about the program, while they’re out and about.

That was the case with Patti Collard and daughter, Isabella.

“Actually we were just here at the library getting some books and just happened to walk past,” said Patti, a Wesley Chapel resident. “This is perfect timing.”

The mother noted she was glad there was a healthy selection, as she watched 4-year-old Isabella enjoy her watermelon, grapes and milk.

The lunch program is free for anyone age 18 and younger, and requires no registration. And, it’s open to all youths, whether they attend Pasco schools or not.

That was great news for Christopher Privett, 16, who is home-schooled and comes to the library with his family.

“We’ve been doing it almost every day that we can attend,” Privett said.

He added that he’s not picky, and he does enjoy a free lunch.

Sexton also attributes the program’s success to cafeteria staff who volunteer to work additional hours during the summer.

“Our staff is amazing,” she stated. “They do this all year-long. They have such a passion for these kids.”

The program runs through July 31.

For a list of cafeterias, pick-up sites or food items, call (813) 794-2480, text ‘FoodFL’ to 877-877, or visit SummerFoodPasco.net.

Summer food program
Where: To find a convenient cafeteria or pick-up spot, call (813) 794-2480, text ‘FoodFL’ to 877-877, or visit SummerFoodPasco.net.
When: Monday through Friday until July 31; Times vary by location.
Details: Youth 18 years old and under are offered free summer lunches.

Published July 17, 2019