Staff Report
On Sunday, March 23, thousands of people from local churches will be challenged to leave their pews, shopping list in hand and shop at participating Publix supermarkets. 32 churches in the Tampa Bay area are gearing up to help collect 150,000 lbs. of food to restock the shelves of 15 local food banks.
Over the past eight years, Feed the Bay has collected and distributed back into the community’s food agencies approximately 1,179, 250 lbs. of food. Advanced Auto Parts has once again partnered with Feed the Bay in response to the needs in our community. This years agencies inclued Amazing Love Ministry, Beth-El Farm Workers Ministry in Wimauma, Cynthia Pinckney Ministries of Seffner, Emergency Help Care Organization (ECHO) in Brandon, Good Samaritan Mission, Kaye Prox Food Bank, Manna on Wheels, Metropolitan Ministries, Ministry of Hope Through the Lord, Inc., Nativity Outreach Food Bank, The Lord’s Lighthouse Ministry, Inc., Plant City Community Ministries, Restoring Hope Global, United Food Bank and the Women’s Resource Center.
All businesses and individuals are invited to join in this community-wide cooperative effort. Volunteers are needed for loading and unloading trucks, as well as assisting at the food banks or supermarkets. Shopping lists will be available on Sunday, March 23 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at participating stores.
For more information about Feed the Bay or to sign up to volunteer visit, feedthebay.org. For a list of participating Publix supermarket locations click on “Resources” at the top of the page, look for “Promotional Items” then click on “2014 Store List.”
Below is a list of participating churches:
Ahava Baptist Church, Alafia Baptist Church, Bay Life Church, Bell Shoals Baptist – Apollo Beach Campus, Bell Shoals Baptist – Brandon Campus, Brandon Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Centerpoint Church, Cornerstone Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Brandon, First Baptist Church Dover, First Baptist Church Midway, First Baptist Church Plant City, First Baptist Church Tampa, First Baptist Church Temple Terrace, First Presbyterian Church of Brandon, First United Methodist Church of Brandon, Grace Community UMC, Holy Innocent’s Episcopal Church, Hope Cumberland Presbyterian, JesusChurch, Journey Church of Brandon, Knights Baptist Church, Liberty Southern Baptist Church, Manhattan Baptist Church, Nativity Catholic Church, New Testament Church, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Rivers of Life, Saint John the Divine Episcopal Church, South Shore UMC, St Andrew’s UMC, True Sanctuary of Praise and Westtown Church
