PRSA TB Lends a Hand at Feeding Tampa Bay
Posted on Jun. 14, 2023 / Public Service / Subscribe 0
It included 3,200 pounds of potatoes that amounted to 2,600 meals, but the number of lives it will touch is countless.
On April 21, for the first time in almost four years because of COVID restrictions, our chapter’s Public Service Committee organized our participation in the United Way’s Week of Caring, an annual event by the United Way Suncoast chapter that recruits volunteer teams from companies and organizations across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties to help local charities over the span of a week. This year, over 380 volunteers donated almost 1,080 hours to complete over 50 projects for local social service agencies, schools and community organizations.
Our Day of Caring team included five members who took off from work in the afternoon to pitch in at the Feeding Tampa Bay warehouse in east Tampa:
- Laura Fontanills, APR, marketing and communications director, Tampa Bay Economic Development Council
- Heather Grzelka, APR, principal, Madeira Public Relations
- Justin Herndon, APR, senior manager, public relations, Otis
- Natalie Preston, director, Office of Engagement and Constituent Relations, USF Health
- Joseph Priest, APR, content strategist, Schifino Lee
Our project was to unpack large bags of potatoes, sort the potatoes and remove any damaged or spoiled ones, and then repack the potatoes into smaller bags that could be easily shipped to and used by recipient families or organizations.
Although we only had a few hours to contribute, our team had an amazingly rewarding experience. In sum, we were able to sort through and repack 3,200 pounds of potatoes, which translates to about 2,600 meals that will help food-insecure people across the Tampa Bay area.
Here are the impressions of our five team members:
“Feeding Tampa Bay makes such a significant impact on our community, and you can really see that firsthand when you volunteer at the warehouse. It’s an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable experience. I encourage everyone to sign up for a shift – and to bring your whole team or family.”
-- Laura Fontanills
“It was impressive to see the behind-the-scenes operations of Feeding Tampa Bay. The size of the warehouse and the number of employees and volunteers working together to sort and prepare food for transport really underscored the significant impact of food insecurity in our community.”
-- Heather Grzelka
“Two things really stood out to me. First, just seeing how many others were also contributing to the overall mission (we joined about a dozen other volunteers). And, second, connecting what we did to the impact our service had. We were a part of providing 2,600 meals to local families. That’s an incredible win for one afternoon.”
-- Justin Herndon
“Prior to this service event, I was vaguely familiar with Feeding Tampa Bay. However, standing in the Feeding Tampa Bay warehouse and learning about its points of pride were impactful. Also, I discovered that Feeding Tampa Bay works with youth groups. I mentioned this opportunity to my son’s scout troop, and they are now considering a service project there later this year.”
-- Natalie Preston
“It’s almost always difficult to break away from work in the middle of the day and dedicate a few hours for a service project like this, but the satisfaction is almost always instant and powerful when you arrive at an operation like the one at the Feeding Tampa Bay warehouse and see what you’re able to contribute to. I’m grateful that we were able to sort food that will provide meals for many food-insecure families, but I’m also grateful that the United Way Suncoast and Feeding Tampa Bay offer volunteering opportunities like this and remind us all of the many rewarding ways we have to give back to our community.”
-- Joseph Priest
Interested in being a part of projects like this? Stay tuned to the PRSA Tampa Bay website for more ways you can help the Public Service Committee serve in 2023.
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