Janelle Irwin Taylor
St. Petersburg real estate developer Bill Edwards donated $100,000 to the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger (TBNEH) through his Edwards Family Foundation.
The tri-county network provides food to children and families in St. Pete through its Meals on Wheels for Kids program.
“Support from partners like the Edwards Family Foundation is critical during this difficult time,” said TBNEH Executive Director Caitlyn Peacock. “This gift will allow us to provide a much-needed service in St. Petersburg by distributing at least 25,000 meals to children that are at home and unable to access an emergency feeding site. In addition, we can distribute thousands of pounds of shelf stable groceries to their families.”
Edwards, her previously owned the Tampa Bay Rowdies, lauded the program for making meals accessible to those who might not be able to make it to various food pantries or drive-up distribution events.
“EFF is dedicated to making sure all children and families in St. Petersburg, especially those that don’t have reliable transportation, have the support they need, like lunch time meals and groceries, during this uncertain time. I hope others realize how crucial programs like Meals On Wheels for Kids are, to families during these pressing times,” Edwards said.
“My goal is to bring in as many donations as we can, from my affiliated foundations and surrounding businesses that are able to do so. No child should feel uncertain as to when their next meal may come. Meals On Wheels for Kids is doing an outstanding job combating that issue, but they cannot do so without the help of others,” he added.
The Meals on Wheels for Kids program launched in March in partnership with Share Our Strength’s No Kids Hungry, Pinellas County Schools Food and Nutrition,
Daystar Life Center and the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County in direct response to financial and logistical challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
With schools closed until at least the fall, some students have lost access to the only reliable source of nutrition they have. While the state, through federal aid programs, has been providing meals through its Summer Break Spot program, most of those opportunities require families to travel to a donation site.
The Meals on Wheels model removes transportation barriers by bringing food directly to families in need where they live.
The program provides meals to kids 18 and younger. It serves kids in St. Pete zip codes 33701, 33705, 33707, 33711, 33712, and 33713; and will expand to include neighboring zip codes next week.
To access benefits, call the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger at (813) 344-5837 or submit an application online. If eligible, meal delivery service can begin the following week, while school is closed.
