Stick A Fork In It

From Ukraine to You: Finding Peace Amidst Crisis (featuring Ian Adair) - Part 1

What can you do when there seems to be crisis all around you? Mental health guru Ian Adair joins us once again for a conversation about coping in healthy ways with the pandemic, a struggling economy, and now, a war between Ukraine and Russia that has the entire world on edge. He and Thomas Mantz, our Feeding Tampa Bay CEO, dive into the way that social media and news overload can affect us, our children, and our relationships with one another. And this episode has two parts! In part one we discuss the personal ways that people can develop tools for creating peace in their lives, and then in part two (releasing next week) we discuss ways to foster peace and understanding in the workplace.

 

To learn more about how the Ukraine conflict has affected folks right here in Tampa Bay, check out this powerful Tampa Bay Times article by Christopher O'Donnell.

 

And to listen to the previous episode where Ian joined us to talk about his work with the Gracepoint Foundation, click here!

 

Follow us for more information about the fight against hunger by searching @FeedingTampaBay on your favorite social media platforms.

Celebrating National Women’s Month with Contemporary Fiction Author Lisa Unger

Lisa Unger has had a passion for writing stories since she was a girl, and for the past 20 years has put out one new novel each year. She joins us on today's episode to describe how we all have creativity within and how she finds her muse "in the quiet" for her character-driven stories, and what it's like to grow up with a career dream that people tell you is silly or unlikely. We're also joined by a special guest host, our own Kelley Sims, adding to the rich environment of female leaders, mothers, and passionate strivers we celebrate this March during National Women's Month. Tune in to learn how reading is just as important for your children as a healthy meal, and how you can support Feeding Tampa Bay by buying books like Lisa's!

 

Follow us on your favorite social media platforms @FeedingTampaBay for more great insights and future guests!

Learning How to Decriminalize Poverty with Sarah Couture of the Fines & Fees Justice Center

Sometimes all it takes to start the spiral into inescapable poverty is a few unpaid parking tickets. When someone is already struggling with money, small legal fines can result in their license being taken away, and then they often can't earn any money at all. Sarah Couture, Florida Director of the Fines & Fees Justice Center, joins us on this episode to explain how her work seeks to erase these pitfalls from our legal system, so that people who find themselves in trouble don't end up stuck there.

 

A more equitable justice system not only benefits the individuals navigating it, but benefits the system itself, which often relies on the payment of fines and fees for funding. Tune in to learn how telling YOUR story of legal complications can actually make a difference, and also, how a little hot sauce can vastly improve your grandma's patented mac and cheese recipe.

 

And as always, follow us on social media @FeedingTampaBay for more tips on how you can help improve your community for yourself, for your children, and for your neighbors in need!

Taste Testing Our New ”Hops for Hunger” Beer at Big Storm Brewing Company

After a year of perfecting the recipe, we finally get to sit with LJ Govoni and Shannon Brooks to taste their delightful creation, "Hops for Hunger" -- a collaborative project that benefits Feeding Tampa Bay each time somebody buys one of the perfectly-named brews. Big Storm Brewing has been a staple for decades in the Tampa Bay region, and they truly are masters of their craft. On today's episode they walk us through the history of the company, as well as the funny story that led to our partnership with them, and ultimately to this wheaty, citrusy drink idea. And stick around to hear from special guest taste-testers from our own team, and other local nonprofits like John Dengel from Tampa's own WellBuilt Bikes!

 

To see clips from other episodes, or learn more about our mission of ending hunger in Tampa Bay, visit FeedingTampaBay.org, or follow us on your favorite social media platform @FeedingTampaBay!

 

Want to contact us directly with questions or ideas about our show?

Email Shannon at soliviero@feedingtampabay.org!

World Series Philanthropy with Howard Grosswirth of the New York Yankees

George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida is like a second home to New York's own Yankees. Over the course of their 27 seasons here, some of the biggest names in baseball have trained right in our own backyard. And on today's episode we have the pleasure of reminiscing with Howard Grosswirth, the Yankees' Vice President of Corporate Sales, and a member of the Feeding Tampa Bay board of directors. He shares with us the Yankees' devoted history of supporting their communities, and the ways that the Steinbrenner family continues to be a huge believer in missions like that of Feeding Tampa Bay. With their help, and yours, we are working to make Tampa Bay healthy, happy, and hunger-free.

 

Click here to listen to our episode featuring Brian Auld, President of the Tampa Bay Rays

Click here to listen to our episode featuring Ian Beckles, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer

 

Learn more about our partnerships with the Yankees, the Rays, the Bucs, the Lightning and others by visiting our website or following us on social media @FeedingTampaBay!

Humans of the Food Bank 2021 - Board

Behind all of the phenomenal work done every day by our food bank staff and volunteers are the members of the Feeding Tampa Bay board of directors, who guide and support our organization in the mission of ending hunger in our community. On today's episode we are joined by three of those board members, each with their own passionate story about why fighting hunger is important to them, and how their unique positions allow them to do just that.

Two of these huge-hearted individuals have been on the show before, so if you missed those episodes, or just want to revisit them, find the links below! And as ever, if you want to find more info about Feeding Tampa Bay and how you can help us lift up the children and families that need us, visit FeedingTampaBay.org.

 

Monica Wilson - Director, Community Food Pantry

Roberto Torres - Owner, Blind Tiger Cafe

Humans of the Food Bank 2021 - Volunteers

Tens of thousands of volunteers grace our programs with their presence every single year, and make possible our mission of ending hunger in our community. On today's episode, meet 6 more magnificent humans who have worked side by side with us in recent years, and learn what drives them to keep returning to the front lines every single week. From serving up hot dishes at Trinity Cafe to assisting shoppers in our Publix Community Market, these incredible people have touched the lives of their neighbors in ways they couldn't previously imagine. And we hope that hearing their stories will touch your life, as well.

 

The grand finale of this years Humans of the Food Bank series will feature Feeding Tampa Bay's own board members, and you can meet them here in just a couple of weeks! Follow us on social media @FeedingTampaBay for updates, and stay tuned.

Humans of the Food Bank 2021 - Our Team

It's becoming a tradition to spend our last few episodes of the year getting to know the huge-hearted people who carry our mission on their backs. Our food bank is huge, and continuing to grow rapidly, and the people we have to thank for that success come from all over the world, with all kinds of stories and dreams, and they are the folks we'd like you to meet today. Learn how 6 amazing individuals work every day to end hunger in the Tampa Bay area, whether they guide our volunteers in the field, coordinate the food we provide, or spread our message online -- they are all key parts of our philanthropic family, and we know you'll love them as much as we do.

 

Our next episode will introduce some of our veteran volunteers, who have been assisting us for years in feeding their neighbors, both young and old -- so keep an eye out for announcements by following us on your favorite social media platforms @FeedingTampaBay!

Meditating on Mental Health with Ian Adair of the Gracepoint Foundation

Author, comedian, and Executive Director of the Gracepoint Foundation, Ian Adair has spent 25 years managing communications in the non-profit world. He uses humor and human connection to introduce people to the reality that everyone has mental health that needs attending to, and that no one is completely alone in their struggles, even if it feels that way sometimes. On today's episode, he shares the work done by Gracepoint to bring self-care into the workplace, amidst anecdotes about his favorite tacos and his 11-year-old son's hilarious nickname for him.

 

If you're looking for additions to your own self-care routine, consider boosting spirits around you, and in turn your own, by giving back to your community with the gifts of time and talent. Visit our website, FeedingTampaBay.org, to learn about opportunities to get involved with our mission of ending hunger in Tampa Bay -- and follow us on social media @FeedingTampaBay!

Helping Tampa Bay the United Way with Kari Goetz

Accessible housing, tax assistance, early childhood education -- United Way guides people through some of the most difficult trials that life serves up, and many of us have no idea of the help they offer, all over the world. Kari Goetz of our local affiliate, United Way Suncoast, joins us on this episode and in her theater-honed style explains how so many people who work full time can still fall through the cracks of society. Tune in for a phenomenal convo about safety nets, German food, and the Mouseketeers -- then take a look through our episode list to hear from our other great community partners like the Rays, St. Pete Distillery, and wrestlers from the WWE!

 

Want to get involved in making your community a healthier, happier place? Visit FeedingTampaBay.org to donate or volunteer with us -- or if you're in need yourself, find food in your area that's fresh and free.