Coronavirus Increases Hunger: Find A Food Bank In Hillsborough

D'Ann Lawrence White
·9 min read

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — When you look around Hillsborough County, it’s easy to see the effects the coronavirus has had on our way of life. What’s less visible is the number of people who are now worrying about having enough to eat.

Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization, says coronavirus-related economic crises could push the number of food insecure Americans to 54 million by year’s end. That’s 17 million more Americans than who were food insecure before the pandemic. For some, it’s a matter of running short on grocery money before the week is out and eating a lot of boxed pasta and rice dishes.

For others, food insecurity means real hunger.

In Hillsborough County, 169,310 people (12.3 percent of residents) were considered food insecure before the pandemic, according to Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap” interactive study.

Job loss and other economic crises associated with the coronavirus could push the rate of food insecurity in Hillsborough County to 17.4 percent by the end of the year.

Feeding America, whose 200 member food banks include Feeding Tampa Bay, reports both higher demand for services and more need for volunteer and donor support.

Some food pantries and other services available in Hillsborough County are:

  • Rise Tampa, 411 N Franklin St., Tampa, 813-480-5621

  • Holy Trinity Presbyterian, 350 S. Hyde Park Ave., Tampa, 813-259-3500

  • St. Vincent de Paul, St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, 1203 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-415-7818

  • End 68 Hours of Hunger Tampa, 1309 W. Swann Ave.,Tampa 813-984-3061

  • Metropolitan Ministries, 2301 N. Tampa St., Tampa, 813-209-1000

  • Tampa Deliverance Ministry, 2102 E. Columbus Drive, Tampa, 813-504-2918

  • New Beginnings Tabernacle, 2208 E. Columbus Drive, Tampa, 813-431-0321

  • New Mt. Zion MB, 2511 E. Columbus Drive, Tampa, 813-404-9524

  • St. Luke AME, 2709 N. 25th St., Tampa, 813-731-5682

  • Deeper Life Christian Center, 3300 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 502-472-1041

  • Thy Will Be Done Inc., 3302 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-713-9397

  • Abe Brown Ministries, 2921 N. 29th St., Tampa, 813-247-3285

  • Amazing Love Ministries, 3304 E. Columbus Drive, Ybor City, 813-340-6048

  • College Hill Mennonite Church, 3506 Machado St., Tampa, 813-996-4244

  • Tampa Bay Community & Family, 3101 N. 34th St., Tampa, 813-777-9971

  • Hands of God Ministries Inc., 2918 E. 27th Ave., Tampa, 813-240-6889

  • St. Vincent de Paul, St. Joseph Catholic Church West Tampa, 3012 W. Cherry St., Tampa, 813-460-8654

  • New Life Assembly, 5010 12th Ave. S., Tampa, 813-363-7724

  • Humane Society of Tampa (pet food only), 3607 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, 813-774-4309

  • Manifestations Worldwide, 3703 N. 30th St., Tampa, 813-241-6919

  • First Baptist Church of College Hill, 3838 N. 29th St., Tampa, 813-505-1517

  • Our Sisters Our Friends, 1709 E. Genesee St., Tampa, 813-965-5117

  • Tampa Adventista Del Septimo Dia, 3405 W. Grace St., Tampa, 813-516-8518

  • Metropolitan Community Church, 408 E Cayuga St., Tampa, 813-239-1951

  • Idlewild Baptist Church, 18333 Exciting Idlewild Blvd., Lutz, 813-264-8717

  • Messengers of Hope, 14426 Black Lake Road, Odessa, 813-404-2300

  • The Church at Odessa, 1234 Gunn Highway, Odessa, 813-792-5400

  • Acts 29 Foccus, 15932 Lake Magdalene Blvd., Tampa, 813-727-9484

  • Ehrlich Road Bible-Based Fellows, 4811 Ehrlich Road, Tampa, 813-264-4050

  • National Farm Worker Ministry, 14520 Knoll Ridge Drive, Tampa, 813-817-8408

  • Heritage Christian Community Baptist, 14801 N. 15th St., Lutz, 813-971-11187

  • Village Presbyterian (Community Food Pantry), 13115 S Village Drive, Tampa, 813-961-4115

  • Tabernacle of God Christian Church, 13302 Lynn Road, Tampa, 813-882-0573

  • Santa Maria Mission, 14004 N. 15th St., Tampa, 813-263-6979

  • Tampa Jewish Family Services, 13009 Community Campus Drive, Tampa, 813-960-1848

  • The Harbour Church, 15612 Race Track Road, Keystone, 813-920-9922

  • Northwest Church of God, 5131 Gunn Highway, Tampa, 813-961-7278

  • St. Vincent de Paul West Hills District, 12310 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-340-2657

  • University Baptist Church, 2121 E. 131st Ave., Tampa, 813-263-4376

  • Sowing 4 Jesus, 10902 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, 813-368-0855

  • City of Judah Worship Center, 11612 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-453-7084

  • Crossover Community Church, 1235 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-971-8887

  • Higher Hope International Ministries, 5808 Lynn Road, Tampa, 813-789-4426

  • Bay Chapel Food Pantry, 20303 Trout Creek Drive, Tampa, 813-731-4040

  • Tampa Underground, 12335 University Mall Court, Tampa, 813-379-2963

  • Northgate Baptist Church, 1301 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 813-892-2073

  • Rock Church of Tampa Bay, 12120 Race Track Road, Tampa, 727-657-4876

  • St. George Coptic Orthodox, 2112 W. Rambela St., Tampa, 813-391-5738

  • Forest Hills United Methodist Church, 904 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 813-748-3837

  • Tampa First Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 822 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 813-786-2476

  • St. Vincent de Paul St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, 9724 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa, 813-727-5536

  • Truth Outreach Ministry, 10711 N. 53rd St., Temple Terrace, 813-943-5270

  • New Beginnings of Tampa Inc., 1402 Chilcoot Ave. E., Tampa, 813-765-5375

  • Liberty Manor for Veterans Inc., 10015 N. 9th St., Tampa, 813-900-9422

  • St. Vincent de Paul Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 9807 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace, 813-899-4603

  • Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 10110 N. Central Ave., Tampa, 813-932-0207

  • Ministerio Voces Angelicale, s106 E. Reynolds St., Plant City, 813-210-5068

  • United Food Bank of Plant City, 712 Alsobrook St., Suite 9, Plant City, 813-763-4660

  • Emmanuel Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 705 S. Maryland Ave., Plant City, 813-708-3818

  • Mt. Olive Baptist, Church, 604 W Ball St., Plant City, 813-754-3834

  • St. Clement Catholic Church, 1104 N. Alexander St., Plant City, 813-752-8251

  • Plant City Black Heritage, 2001 N. Park Road, Plant City, 813-453-7134

  • Liberty Southern Baptist Church, 2505 W. Granfield Ave., Plant City, 813-279-3441

  • Plant City Foursquare Church, 2103 Mudd Lake Road, Plant City, 813-943-2620

  • Faith Focus CDC/Now Faith, 603 Elnor St., Plant City, 813-786-2251

  • Full Gospel Fellowship, 1306 McLin Drive, Plant City, 813-375-0266

  • Bethany Baptist Church, 3409 N. Cork Road, Plant City, 813-293-1951

  • Fellowship Baptist, 10802 Main St., Thonotosassa, 813-681-9515

  • Terrace Palms Community Church, 9620 Davis Road, Tampa, 813-966-6180

  • Heaven to Earth Worship Center, 8406 U.S. 301 N., Tampa, 813-388-7609

  • True Prosperity Outreach, 8751 N. 40th St., Tampa, 813-965-7796

  • Riverhills Church of God, 6310 E. Sligh Ave., Tampa, 727-623-3046

  • Unique Ladies Faith & Truth, 3201 E. Genesis St., Tampa, 813-477-1530

  • Kingdom Kids of Tampa Bay, 6500 N. 56th St., Unit 280, Tampa, 813-900-0767

  • Miracle Outreach Community, 5401 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Tampa, 813-416-1316

  • Christlike Ministries, 3011 Orient Road, Tampa, 813-644-0404

  • DACCO, 3107 N. 50th St., Tampa, 813-624-5500

  • COMOR Christian Outreach, 2016 N. 60th St., Tampa, 813-610-7920

  • Bible-Based Fellowship, 8718 N. 46th St., Tampa, 813-205-2730

  • Household of Faith, 2725 N. 46th St., Tampa, 813-368-6453

  • Greater Mt. Carmel AME, 4209 N. 34th St., Tampa, 813-382-0531

  • Kathedral Community Development Inc., 6304 N. 30th St., Tampa, 813-238-2563

  • New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Tampa, 3005 E. Ellicott St., Tampa, 813-245-7262

  • New Bethel Progressive Mission, 3007 E. Northbay St., Tampa, 813-245-6293

  • Manifestations Worldwide, 3703 N. 30th St., Tampa, 813-241-6919

  • Hands of God Ministries Inc., 2918 E. 27th Ave., Tampa, 813-240-6889

  • Bible Truth Ministries, 4902 N. 22nd St., Tampa, 813-748-3945

  • Missions for Christ Ministries, 9280 Bay Plaza Blvd., Tampa 813-836-5940

  • Christlike Ministries, 3011 Orient Road, Tampa, 813-644-0404

  • St. James AME, 5202 S. 86th St., Tampa, 813-731-8347

  • Progress Village Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 7909 Flower Ave., Tampa, 813-545-6023

  • Tampa Deliverance Ministry, 2102 E. Columbus Drive, Tampa, 813-504-2918

  • College Hill Mennonite, 3506 Machado St., Tampa, 813-996-4244

  • Revival Ministries, 3738 River International Drive, Tampa, 813-638-1428

  • EPIC Tampa, 4703 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-237-3066

  • New Seasons Apostolic, 5100 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-598-8466

  • Mission Tampa, 5306 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-505-0480

  • Meals on Wheels Tampa, 550 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-238-8410

  • Bethel Temple Assembly of God, 1510 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-238-2348

  • Westside Seventh-Day Adventist Community Services, 1802 E. McBerry St., Tampa, 813-507-2201

  • St. Chad’s Episcopal Church, 5609 N. Albany Ave., Tampa, 813-351-0827

  • Northeast United Methodist Church, 6400 N. 15th St., Tampa, 813-238-4359

  • New Life Assembly, 5010 12th Ave. S., Tampa, 813-363-7724

  • Bell Shoals Palm River, 5415 Palm River Road, Tampa, 813-621-2058

  • New Hope Missionary Baptist Tampa, 3005 E. Ellicott St., Tampa, 813-245-7262

  • St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, 7221 Sherrill St. S., Tampa, 813-373-4120

  • Peninsular Christian, 3600 W. Ballast Point Blvd., Tampa 813-453-2502

  • Victory Baptist Church, 6202 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa, 813-531-1444

  • End 68 Hours of Hunger Tampa, 1309 W. Swann Ave., Tampa, 813-984-3061

  • Holy Trinity Presbyterian, 350 S. Hyde Park Ave., Tampa, 813-259-3500

  • St. Vincent de Paul St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, 1203 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-415-7818

  • Purpose Driven, 4202 N. Hubert Ave., Tampa, 813-816-8704

  • Without Walls International, 4414 N. Grady Ave., Tampa, 727-214-7123

  • Thy Will Be Done Inc., 3302 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-713-9397

  • Deeper Life Christian Center, 3300 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 502-472-1041

  • Chapel in the Pines, 4546 Kelly Road, Tampa, 813-474-6736

  • St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 255225 N. Himes Ave., Tampa, 813-300-8390

RELATED:

Food insecurity is often thought of as a “poor people’s problem,” but not all people living in poverty are food insecure, and not all food insecure people live in poverty. Food insecurity is a complex issue sandwiched in with other systemic challenges, including poverty, low wages, affordable housing shortages, chronic and acute health problems, high medical costs and social isolation.

“Our members are reporting that many of the people they’re serving have never sought food assistance before,” Kathryn Strickland, Feeding America’s chief network officer, told Patch. “Some people are reporting that people who formerly donated to food banks are now seeking assistance.”


Patch News Partner Shutterstock

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, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 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.

This article originally appeared on the Tampa Patch