TAMPA, Fla. — The faces of hunger are all around us. According to Feeding Tampa Bay, right now, 1 in 6 adults is food insecure and 1 in 4 kids is food insecure. The non-profit is seeing demand at near pandemic levels.
"Right now, we're seeing a need that's even greater than before, almost higher than the pandemic," spokesperson Shannon Oliviero said.
Caddie Timmons is among those who lean on Feeding Tampa Bay to supplement the cost of groceries.
"It's helpful to me because if I didn't get [groceries] here then I'd have to go out and buy these items," Timmons explained.
Timmons is the cook in her household where she lives with her daughter and her three children.
"Meat is very expensive right now too, so it's really helpful," Timmons said. "We can spend that money we save on bills, clothes and other expenses."
Feeding Tampa Bay says families a frequently put in a position where they have to decide between buying groceries and other essential household items.
"We make sure they don't make difficult choices between medicine and food and also make sure kids have food on the table," Oliviero said.
You can help by donating cereal at Sonny's BBQ restaurants, Suncoast Credit Union branches, most Goodwill stores, our 10 Tampa Bay studios, or www.cerealforsummer.org.
On Friday, May 5, we ask groups to drop off all their donations at either the Britton Plaza Publix in Tampa (3838 Britton Plaza-off Dale Mabry) or at the 4th Street Station Publix in St. Petersburg (3700 4th St. N.). 10 Tampa Bay will broadcast live from both locations all day. Last year, 10 Tampa Bay collected enough cereal and cash to provide 2 million meals.