FACT SHEET
What is Feed the Bay?
Feed the Bay is a coordinated community outreach uniting churches throughout Hillsborough County along with Publix Super Markets, designed to stock the shelves of participating food pantries on Saturday, March 14 & Sunday, March 15, 2020.
What is the Purpose of Feed the Bay?
For the community and church to come together as one body of Christ and fill the food pantries in the participating county for four to six months. Our goal is to collect 150,000 pounds of food for the pantries.
When is Feed the Bay?
Saturday, March 14, 2019 from 6:00pm- 8:00 pm
Sunday, March 15, 2019 from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
How does Feed the Bay work?
- On Sunday, March 15, each church congregation will be given a grocery list at their worship services. Leaders of each church will challenge their congregation to leave church and go shop at participating Publix Super Markets or other stores closest to their home between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for the benefit of those in need in our communities.
- Shoppers and their families take the list to a grocery store to purchase whatever items they choose to buy.
- After shopping, they drop their purchase off to volunteers located at semi-trucks parked in lots right outside the participating stores. Volunteers then load the food on the trucks.
- At 2:30 pm drivers will take the trucks and head to each of the food pantries.
- Once at the food pantry site church volunteers, working alongside agency volunteers and staff, will unload and sort the donated items.
How can I participate if I’m not in town that week?
You can participate by purchasing gift cards from any grocery story or supermarket and drop them off at the church office or Information Center between now and March 31. If you choose to participate by donating cash, please place cash or check (made payable to Bay Life Church) in a tithe envelope and clearly mark it FEED THE BAY. These can also be dropped off at the church or Information Center between now and April 15.
How is Publix Super Markets partnering with Feed the Bay?
Publix Super Market is our participating partner in this event. They will provide easy access to all food items on the shopping list along with comparable pricing. Publix has also donated semi-trailers and drivers to help with delivery to the food pantries.
How did Feed the Bay become a reality?
Feed the Bay was started by Bay Life Church, Brandon, in 2006. The event worked the same way as this year’s event, except now there are over 33 churches and 17 stores participating.
The vision for a community effort came into being and has quickly grown into community support for one another. Local business and churches of Brandon, and Tampa Florida come together to shop, collect and supply for the community agencies. Now, ten years later, area churches throughout the county are united as one body – the body of Christ – with conjoined efforts to Feed the Bay.