Feed 500 members of Tampa's HIV/AIDS Community

In 2007, when we started thinking about startinga food pantry, we were concerned.  Concerned that the space we had was too small to feed the few clients that we had.  Concerned we wouldn't have the manpower or money to keep it stocked. No matter the concerns, we forged ahead with a donation from the USPS Letter Carrier's Drive.  We recieved 10,000 pound of food.  With smiles on our faces, we sorted, stocked, organized and opened our pantry with the idea that this food would get us through until we could figure out how to raise enough money to keep it stocked.

Our idea was wrong.  10,000 pounds of food lasted a mere three weeks.  The need for food was more than we imagined.  It outweighed our supply.  Then, a miracle donor came to us out of the blue and offered to keep our pantry stocked!  $1,000 each month was more than enough to keep our clients fed!  Then... our economy took a hit as well as our miracle donor and their contribution was decreased to $500 each month. Clients began to flood in for services.  Not just food, but support, housing, case management.  Our small client base grew.  Our lunch program went from feeding 10 people a day to feeding 50 people a day.  10 people using our pantry daily grew to 30 and $500 is just not enough to keep it stocked.

We shop at our local Feeding America Food Bank in order to maximize the dollars we spend.  We acquire hygiene items from the local dollar store to keep costs down.  Through this past year, we have distributed a retail value over $100,000 worth of food and hygiene items.  We are proud of our little pantry that could and does keep on giving. Global Giving has enabled us to subsidize our monthly allotment and increase the amount of food we can stock.

We thank you for choosing us to donate your hard earned money to. We only wish you could meet the people that you have fed and see the smiles for yourself.