Feeding Tampa Bay Breaks Ground On Historical Social Services Project

TAMPA, FL — With the goal of ending hunger and food security in Tampa Bay by 2024, Feeding Tampa Bay celebrated the groundbreaking of the largest social services capital project in Tampa Bay history.

Slated to open in 2024, the new facility will nearly double the size of its current warehouse off Adamo Drive in Tampa, supporting Feeding Tampa Bay's goal of ending hunger and food insecurity in the community by 2025.

The 210,463-square-foot facility will include a 140,000-square-foot food storage and distribution warehouse, a grocery store and restaurant, volunteer space, a community room, kitchen, and space for Feeding Tampa Bay's job-training programs.

"Essentially, it’s a refuge for our neighbors to seek holistic support," said Thomas Mantz, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer. "After all, we know that our community’s resilience depends on factors far beyond our efforts to put meals on the table."

The center will be located on an 18-acre site the nonprofit purchased for $7 million in 2021 at 4000 Causeway Blvd.

“With over one million food insecure families across the region, it’s vital for Feeding Tampa Bay to operate at the highest level,” said Doug Dieck, president of the Southeast region at Ryan Companies.

Ryan is the design-build firm for the project with BDG Architects as the architect of record. Ryan is also making a financial contribution to Feeding Tampa Bay.

“This project will allow the organization to produce more meals per day, store fresh food for longer and educate the community on the importance of eating a balanced diet," he said. "Ryan Companies is proud to work alongside Feeding Tampa Bay to develop this new distribution facility so they can better serve the community.”

Mantz said the need became especially apparent during the coronavirus pandemic when cars lined up for hours at Feeding Tampa Bay food distribution sites to receive free groceries.

"The pandemic exposed an awful lot that we were stunned by — the underlying fragility of our community, our employers, our families," Mantz said.

"When Feeding Tampa Bay pledged three years ago to end hunger and food insecurity in the region by 2025, the nonprofit provided free healthy groceries for people with medical issues and placed more food pantries in the community’s neediest schools," Mantz said. "Then came a pandemic, inflation and a hurricane — and a realization of just how vulnerable so many families are. A larger and more dynamic facility will allow FTB to enhance its food distribution and support services, ultimately uplifting our neighbors in need to greater health and capability."

Obtaining enough food isn't the program, he said. Feeding Tampa Bay receives plenty of food to distribute to its 10-county coverage area.

"But we simply lack the space in our current warehouse to accept every donation and store large amounts of perishable products effectively," he said. "This is precisely why we’re expanding our facility."

Related: Feeding Tampa Bay To Build New Food Bank, Warehouse Facility

Feeding Tampa Bay currently has to turn away 25 percent of donated food because it lacks space at its 80,000-square-foot rented warehouse at 4702 Transport Drive off Adamo Drive in Tampa.

The project will contain more than 41,000 square feet of cold storage warehouse space, an 11,000-square-foot full-production, state-of-the-art kitchen, an office and a mezzanine level. The kitchen will produce up to 6,000 hot and cold meals per day and will serve as a classroom to teach culinary skills.

The new building will have the capacity to store and provide two times the amount of fresh produce and perishable goods. This will reduce the cost per meal by up to 25 percent.

"In total, we will be able to provide 75 million more meals per year, complementing our efforts to shorten the line with our expanded FTB programs," Mantz said. "This will meet the entire demand of food in our region."

Beyond warehousing food, the new facility will serve as a one-stop shop for individuals and families to access support services.

"We know that food alone will not end hunger. When someone comes to see us for a meal, so many more factors are contributing to their circumstances of food insecurity," Mantz said. "Thus, our service cannot stop at food only. Instead, it’s critical that we offer resources for self-sufficiency and financial security."

The one-stop shop will provide neighbors in need with resources including onsite medical services, grocery and restaurant services, financial counseling, and access to benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Women, Infants and Children Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will slowly close their income gap.

Additionally, the new facility will act as a centralized location for all of Feeding Tampa Bay programs including:

• A new Trinity Cafe location that will serve fresh, hot meals with dignity.
• Expand its job-training program through its FRESHForce program, returning 500 people to the workforce every year.
• Continuing its partnership with BayCare, which will help provide onsite health consultations, education materials and health resources to neighbors.

Half of the non-warehouse space will have gathering rooms dedicated to fostering collaboration with community partners that can provide other services to residents in need.

Anyone can stop by and access the additional on-site services and resources from healthcare consultations to workforce development.

"The new facility will not just be a food bank, but also a place that serves and uplifts our neighbors in multiple ways," Mantz said. "Furthermore, the space will accommodate 50 percent more volunteers."

Ultimately, he said the new warehouse will have a major impact on Tampa’s financial health.

"By providing people with access to healthy food and resources for self-sufficiency, FTB’s regional economic impact will grow from $350 million to $470 million annually," he said.

Much of the funding for the expansion is coming from the private sector, which has allowed Feeding Tampa Bay to raise $53.5 million toward the $60 million project.

Private funding (individuals and family foundations) has accounted for $23 million, including John and Sheila Auer, the Milkey Family Foundation, Tara and David Ruberg, the Vinik Family Foundation, the Sea Grape Foundation, The Spurlino Foundation and Gary and Melody Johnson.

Corporations have contributed $3.5 million, including Jabil, Suncoast Credit Union and Florida Blue.

Another $8.3 million came from Hillsborough County, the city of Tampa and federal grants, including $5 million from Hillsborough County’s allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars for COVID-19 relief.

Mantz ended the event, quoting singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen, who just performed at the Amalie Arena Feb. 1: "Nobody wins unless everybody wins."

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimated that by the end of 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.