TAMPA, Fla. — Feeding Tampa Bay is helping reach people right where they live through a new initiative launched on Wednesday.
“It’s so important for folks in need to have access in their own communities,” said Shannon Hannon Oliviero with Feeding Tampa Bay.
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“The neighbor is referred to us,” said Hannon Oliviero. “They go online. They make an order, and it’s based on what we have in the warehouse. That is uploaded. Our team packs those bags, comes out here. They’re given a time window to pick it up, and they go in, and they pick up what they’ve ordered.”
ABC Action News watched the process as teams unloaded a truck and packed the lockers.
“We have one day a week right now, and again it’s in collaboration with our navigation team and our friends at United Way to make sure that those appointments are filled, but we plan to expand this program,” said Hannon Oliviero.
One neighbor who picked up her groceries shared just how much this resource means.
“Thank you, God for blessing me today,” the woman said.
Feeding Tampa Bay said it’s the community that’s helping fill these lockers with fresh food: anything they order online that’s at the food bank can be made available to them in their community.
“Imagine when you go to the grocery store, and you get excited about things that you want to choose. Feeding Tampa Bay wants everyone to be able to have that choice, whether they can do it themselves or are food insecure,” said Hannon Oliviero. “It’s about being treated with dignity, taking care of our neighbors as we should, and making sure they’re treated with respect as well.”
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