Tampa Jewish Family Services volunteers collect food as need triples

Over 130 volunteers from around the Tampa Bay Area turned out Sunday, Jan. 31, for TJFS’ “Give a Day - Get a Disney Day” to help replenish the food bank.

“We have seen a 300 percent increase in Food Bank requests over the last year and as well as an increase in counseling clients,” said CEO Michael Barnett.

“The new demand is coming from middle class working families who have lost their jobs and for the first time are reaching out for help. The loss of employment has put both a financial and mental strain on themselves and their families,” he said.

For the “Collect, Sort, and Bag for our Community Food Bank” experience, each volunteer was instructed to collect at least 20 non-perishable food items from neighbors, friends and family. Some collected by going around their neighborhood with a red wagon asking door to door, some set up food donations at their offices and others bought food to bring in.

When volunteers, ranging in age from 8 to 72, arrived, they sorted their donations according to specific categories to create balanced food distribution bags. Then the volunteers took empty bags and gathered the necessary items for senior, family or for emergency food bags. TJFS keeps these on hand for those who call in desperate need.

“It was a huge success,” said Barnett, indicating the volunteers seemed to like it too.

“Our kids realized that there are people out around us that have a need for food. They feel like they helped to make a difference in someone’s life,” said a parent of an eight-year-old.

The experience was solely a TJFS event. Volunteers collected 2,800 cans and boxes of non-perishable food for TJFS.