Feeding Tampa Bay briefs Temple Terrace council on hunger programs, workforce training and school pantries

Feeding Tampa Bay representatives presented an annual report to the City Council outlining the charity’s regional operations, school pantry work, workforce training and partner programs.

Lorena Rivas Hardwick, chief external affairs officer for Feeding Tampa Bay, said the organization covers 10 counties in West Central Florida and serves what the agency described as roughly “a million lives” in its service area. Rivas Hardwick said Feeding Tampa Bay supplies about 29.7 million meals in Hillsborough County and operates 42 school pantries; the agency also provides nutrition education and workforce training through its FreshForce program.

FreshForce combines warehouse logistics, culinary training and CDL driver training; Rivas Hardwick said earlier evaluation of the FreshForce program found 86% of participants remained employed two years after completion and the program produced about $5.4 million in economic output in the study period cited. She told council the most recent FreshForce cohort included individuals with low monthly incomes (71% earned $1,500 or less), with significant levels of food insecurity and housing instability among participants.

Rivas Hardwick said Feeding Tampa Bay is pursuing partnerships and grant funding for expanded capacity-building — including refrigeration and freezer equipment for smaller partner agencies — and to support growers and producers in regional supply chains. She also noted the organization is monitoring state and federal policy and seeks to connect residents to SNAP and other benefits, because SNAP benefits multiply food relief impact.

Council members thanked the group and asked to be kept informed of ways the city could refer residents to Feeding Tampa Bay and collaborate on workforce and school pantry programs.