A group of local students now has easier access to food thanks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Feeding Tampa Bay and The Mosaic Company. In March, the well-known organizations came together and opened a food pantry in Pinecrest Elementary School in Lithia.
According to Pinecrest Principal Denise Mobley, the pantry will help address food insecurity, which is a problem that as many as one in five children in the Tampa Bay area face.
“We are so thankful to the Buccaneers, Mosaic and Feeding Tampa Bay for coming together and being partners in this,” said Mobley after the ribbon-cutting for the pantry, which was held at the school in March.
The ribbon-cutting event, which was attended by representatives from all the contributing organizations, was followed by a field day for the students where they were able to do activities and interact with Bucs players and cheerleaders, as well as mascot Captain Fear.
Mosaic President and CEO Bruce Bodine spoke at the event, emphasizing the importance of giving back to the community where the company’s employees live and raise their children. Mosaic employees also volunteered at the field day.
According to Mobley, the food pantry will be a place that Pinecrest students and their families can go to for food, and representatives from Metropolitan Ministries’ Pathway to Hope program will also be on hand to help with housing and other issues.
“It is going to have such an impact on the community as we come together to feed the minds of the students but nourish their bodies as well,” she said.
Pinecrest Elementary School is located at 7950 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Lithia and can be reached at 813-744-8164. To learn more about The Mosaic Company, visit www.moasicco.com, and for more information about Feeding Tampa Bay, visit www.feedingtampabay.org.
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