Tampa, FL. — Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNEH), a tri-county leader in hunger relief, research and program development, will deliver hurricane food packs on Saturday, June 12th, to all Meals On Wheels St. Petersburg (MOWSP) and Meals On Wheels for Kids (MOW4Kids) recipients in preparation for this year’s hurricane season. The agency needs volunteers to sign up to deliver the hurricane packs which will include nonperishable food for up to five days and a hurricane resource guide with shelter information and an emergency checklist. The hurricane packs are provided in partnership with Metropolitan Ministries and St. Petersburg Free Clinic.
Many Meals on Wheels recipients are transportation disadvantaged, homebound and/or elderly. With the simple act of knocking on someone’s door, the Network is providing safety checks in addition to a hot meal. With the hurricane packs, the programs can provide a little more safety in the event a storm hits again this year.
MOWSP and MOW4Kids were developed to serve children, seniors, and 18+ homebound individuals (due to illness, injury, or disability) with meals delivered to their home, by a volunteer, each week. MOWSP is an alternative option for: 1) people placed on a waiting list; or 2) people who do not qualify for other programs due to age or income.MOW4Kids, was developed to serve children, 18 years or younger, with meals delivered to their home when school is out of session or when learning remotely. MOW4Kids is an alternative option for kids that are not able to access meal distribution sites; and/or 2) kids that have difficulty accessing food pantries. The program currently serves areas throughout Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco Counties.
Community members interested in delivering hurricane food packs on Saturday, June 12 can sign up to deliver a route out of the following locations: Hope Villages of America (formerly RCS Pinellas) in Clearwater, Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa, Farmworker’s Self Help in Dade City, and Community Congressional Church in New Port Richey. Routes will take about 1 hour to complete.
To sign up to volunteer, please visit https://networktoendhunger.org/volunteer/.
To receive free meals delivered to your home, visit www.networktoendhunger.org or call (813) 344-5837.
The Network is currently accepting donations at www.networktoendhunger.org to help support the hurricane pack program. A donation of just $20 will provide a hurricane preparedness pack to a senior or homebound individual in need.
About Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger
Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger is committed to ending 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. TBNEH has over 350 members and serves a tri-county area, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. TBNEH is a 501(c)3 non-profit agency and relies on its community for support. www.NetworktoEndHunger.org