TAMPA BAY, Fla. — Whether it’s by air or on the ground, relief has been rolling into Southwest Florida since hurricane Ian left the state. Inside Feeding Tampa Bay on Friday trucks were being loaded up with food and supplies. Those along the assembly line seemed to have a laser focus purpose.
“Over the last couple of weeks or so as the storm came through the numbers we have been seeing have really increased,” explained BJ Santiago.
The trucks are heading for our southern community food banks and the Fort Myers area. Santiago will be following behind them on Sunday.
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“A lot of people just in their staff have had a lot of home issues from the storm what they need right now is extra hands and people who have had time to sleep coming back and forth to work,” said BJ.
Food banks from our southern area counties to southwest Florida are being drained. And that is where ABC Action News viewers stepped in and gave selflessly to our ABC Action News Gives campaign. One of the several donation checks we are presenting went to Feeding Tampa Bay. They were given $10,000 to help put food in pantries and on tables of storm victims.
“When we receive a check like you all gave us today it will result in a family to sit down and have food around a table who right now are scared to death. They're struggling. And the idea that they can have a meal that a neighbor or a viewer provided it's an invaluable gift at a time that's most important,” explained Thomas Mantz, CEO, Feeding Tampa Bay.
Mantz said that the check will provide 50,000 meals.
“I think all of us understand we're pretty fortunate to understand the situation we're in. Let's make sure we help out someone who isn't quite so fortunate,” said Mantz.