NewsHillsborough County

Actions

Feeding Tampa Bay gives back-to-school resources to hundreds of local families

Feeding Tampa Bay gives back-to-school resources to hundreds of local families
 Feeding Tampa Bay's second annual back-to-school event
Posted
and last updated

TAMPA, Fla — For thousands around the Tampa Bay area, back to school is just as stressful as it is exciting.

Quedirah Cromartie is one of the many people in the area who have been worried about where their school supplies would come from.

Watch full report from Blake Phillips

Feeding Tampa Bay gives back-to-school resources to hundreds of local families

"With school getting ready to start and it's getting closer and closer and we don't have it set up just yet, so it was a big privilege to get it for free, honestly," Cromartie says.

She and her three children came to Feeding Tampa Bay's second annual back-to-school event on Thursday in order to get some relief, including healthcare and vision screenings.

We're getting the eye exams done, and they're doing it not only for the kids. My mom is getting one done too, so that's big, like everybody, we're helping the whole family," says Cromartie.

 Feeding Tampa Bay's second annual back-to-school event

Feeding Tampa Bay's goal for this year was to make this event bigger than it's been in previous years.

"Last year, we had 100 to 150 families come in. This year, we're getting a little more robust. We have all these partners that are coming into you, and we're expecting 300 to 400," says Shannon Hannon Oliverio, a spokesperson for Feeding Tampa Bay.

Dozens of partners came together this year, including the Early Learning Coalition for Hillsborough County, BayCare Kids, Preserve Vision Florida, and more, to provide free healthcare screenings, vision screenings, and school supplies among other items.

'I’m just scared!' Insurance denials halt chemotherapy treatment for FL woman with 'aggressive' breast cancer

Months have passed since Mary Barnes had a double mastectomy to treat an “aggressive” form of breast cancer. Now her treatments have been put on hold because of insurance denials.

FL woman delayed chemo treatment because of insurance denials