On March 13, The Mosaic Company and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened the fifth and final food pantry as part of their Tackling Hunger partnership, marking the completion of a five-year commitment to fight food insecurity in our communities.
Together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Feeding Tampa Bay, they worked to ensure families have reliable access to nutritious food, creating lasting impact that extends well beyond game day. This final pantry opening represents the power of partnership and their shared commitment to strengthening the communities we call home.
“The food pantry is located in Plant City, hosted at Robinson Elementary School, serving both Robinson and Turkey Creek Middle School,” said Chloe Conboy Renard, external communications manager of Mosaic. “The Tackling Hunger fueled by Mosaic partnership with the Buccaneers enables Feeding Tampa Bay, part of the Feeding America network, to build and manage school pantries in areas of need. This new pantry will be available to support the nearly 1,500 students and their families who attend Robinson Elementary School and nearby Turkey Creek Middle School.”
Plant City is a diverse community within Hillsborough County. An estimated 17 percent of children in Hillsborough County are considered food insecure and 68 percent income eligible for federal nutrition programs (incomes at or below 185 percent of poverty). A Title I school, Robinson houses 650 students with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14:1. Of its attendees, 78 percent of students receive free or reduced lunch.
“Food insecurity affects one in four children across Tampa Bay, showcasing the need for pantries like this to support families across our community,” said Tampa Bay Buccaneers chief impact officer Kourtney Sanchez. “This work is incredibly impactful, and we are so grateful for our partners at Mosaic who share our commitment to addressing our community’s greatest challenges through initiatives like this.”
Since the partnership launched in 2021, Mosaic and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have provided more than 780,000 meals to our neighbors in need. This includes serving more than 5,500 families by providing more than 240,000 meals through local food pantries.
“We are proud of the impact this fifth pantry opening adds to our Tackling Hunger partnership with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and to deepen our support for families in Plant City,” said Bruce Bodine, president and CEO of The Mosaic Company. “Today’s announcement is a great example of our long-term commitment to fighting hunger and helping ensure kids and their families have reliable access to nutritious food. Together with our partners, we’re building stronger, more resilient communities across Central Florida.”
Mosaic opened its pantry location at Pinecrest Elementary School in Lithia last year, and additional locations include Bowling Green, Broward and Lamb elementary schools.
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