Community Food Pantry To Host Denim and Diamonds

TAMPA, FL – In the world of charity organizations, sometimes unlikely friendships happen in the course of bringing people together to help the community.

In recognition of the people from various walks of life who are involved with the Community Food Pantry, the Carrollwood organization will host its first-ever Denim and Diamonds charity event. The evening will provide entertainment, dinner and an understanding of those facing food insecurities in northwest Hillsborough County.

The event will take place Thursday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Carmel Kitchen & Wine Bar, located at 14306 N. Dale Mabry Highway. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit the Community Food Pantry’s clients.

Monica Wilson, the director of the Community Food Pantry, said the event’s name honors both the friendships that form through the organization as well as the attire for Denim and Diamonds itself.

“We wanted to be sure our guests felt that although this is a benefit dining event, you can come as you are or straight from the office or home, or choose to dress your best,” she said. “It’s all good!”

Wilson said over the years, the pantry’s volunteers have formed lasting friendships with their clients, which is also representative in Denim and Diamonds.

“They often can’t wait to hear how interviews turned out or perhaps the results of health visits, making unlikely friendships with some of the most humble of all,” she said.

Individual tickets to Denim and Diamonds are $50. Group prices include a table for 6 (includes wine and chic wine glasses) for $350, a table for 10 (wine, chic wine glasses and signage) for $600 and a table for 10-12 (wine, chic wine glasses, signage and premiere seating in the wine cellar) for $750.

The tickets include a choice of appetizers, a sit-down dinner, dessert, one drink from the bar, coffee and tea. Carmel Kitchen & Wine Bar will also provide a signature drink for the evening, The Diamond.

The event will also feature a keynote speech from Thomas Mantz, the executive director of Feeding Tampa Bay, and entertainment by local artist Misty Hall.

“We are doing our best to keep it all true to Carrollwood, the home of the pantry,” Wilson said.

Aside from raising money for the Community Food Pantry, Wilson said she hopes Denim and Diamonds will bring awareness to Carrollwood residents and businesses, especially members of the Carrollwood Area Business Association. Both Carmel Kitchen & Wine Bar and the Community Food Pantry, which joined last year, are members of CABA.

One of the challenges the Community Food Pantry faces is that many people assume there aren’t hungry families in Carrollwood, Wilson said.

“Many of these families are the working poor, on the cusp of poverty and many are seniors on fixed incomes,” she said. “We’re educating our neighbors that the face of hunger is one that looks like yours or mine, and that what we do is simply offer a ‘hand-up’ to our clients. As a mission of Village Presbyterian Church, CFP strives to end the physical and emotional hunger of families in a dignified manner.”

The Community Food Pantry partners with Feeding Tampa Bay, Publix, Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market, The Fresh Market and Target to provide food for their clients, as well as donations they receive from the community. The food is also shared with the homeless, near-homeless, Joshua House and Christian Social Services. To give back to the community, the pantry also donates its unused produce for compost to Vista Gardens in Carrollwood Village.

The Community Food Pantry started in 2008 as a mission of Village Presbyterian Church. By 2009, the need grew so large, members of the congregation transformed half the church office building into the pantry. In 2016, the Community Food Pantry served more than 21,000 people, providing more than 199,000 meals to the people in the North Tampa area. Approximately 7,200 of the recipients were children.

Wilson said they’re projecting the Community Food Pantry to serve more than 300,000 meals to more than 22,000 families in 2017.

Tickets will available online until Tuesday, March 21 at http://www.thecommunityfoodpantry.com/denim. If seating is still available, tickets will be available at the door.

For more information on tickets or the Community Food Pantry, call Wilson or Beth Dhondt at (813) 961-4115.

Image courtesy of Community Food Pantry