Where to find, donate food in Pinellas County

Are you or your family in need of help getting food? Or do you want to help but don’t know how? We’ve put together a list of food pantries, drives, distribution sites, and more that could be the answer you are looking for.

Feeding Tampa Bay

Feeding Tampa Bay has teamed up with the city of Clearwater’s Parks and Recreation Department to distribute lunches daily for children 18 and younger.

Food will be distributed Monday through Friday at the following locations:

• Ross Norton Recreation Center, 1426 S. MLK Jr. Ave., 12:30-1:30 p.m.

• North Greenwood Recreation Center, 900 N. MLK Jr. Ave., 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Salvation Army

In addition to regular food pantry operations, the Salvation Army is partnering with Feeding Tampa Bay to host weekly drive-thru food distributions in Clearwater to help meet increased needs. Other services currently being offered across the county are rent, mortgage, utility assistance, family shelters, and emergency shelters as resources are available.

Drive-thru food box distribution will take place each Wednesday from 3:30-5 p.m. or until all boxes are distributed, at 1521 Druid Road East, Clearwater.

Boxes are pre-assembled and include fresh produce. Residents do not need to provide an ID or proof of address. People are encouraged to take only what they need.

Juvenile Welfare Board

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, low income families with children are disproportionately impacted, and those of moderate means may now be without a paycheck.

Licensed childcare for essential healthcare workers and first responders may be scarce. Financial and other stressors impact families, driving up domestic violence calls.

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County is responding by investing in several emergency efforts, bringing partners together to identify and fill gaps.

Support to JWB funded agency nonprofits and their employees

• Emergency Response Fund: Allows all 50-plus nonprofit agencies — funded by JWB to serve children and families through early learning, home visiting, before/after school, domestic violence shelters, mental health services, and more — to access their budget allocations to cover operational expenses, including paying and retaining employees, should programs be required to close or reduce services due to COVID-19.

Food assistance for children and families

• $200,000 Emergency Food Relief: With retail food donations down nearly 75% to local food banks, JWB is investing $200,000 in emergency food relief for children and families, to be distributed to Tarpon Springs Shepherd’s Center, Religious Community Services in Clearwater, Florida Dream Center in Lealman, and St. Petersburg Free Clinic. Additional funds will be allocated as need presents.

• $350,000 Meals for Kids: In a proactive measure, JWB’s eight Neighborhood Family Centers were approved to double all pre-packaged meal purchases for kids; these Centers serve families in highest need areas.

• $12,000 Meals on Wheels 4 Kids: With school and congregate meal site closures, JWB is providing a portion of the initial funding for an innovative pilot with Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger to deliver meals to the doorstep of families with children when barriers exist and using the volunteer-based Meals on Wheels model.

• BreakSpot Grab & Go Meal Expansion: JWB is partnering with Feeding Tampa Bay to open additional Pinellas sites where grab-and-go meals for children can be distributed. JWB recently launched a new website with a schedule of all Pinellas school and community BreakSpot sites: www.jwbpinellas.org/breakspot-meals.

Basic needs assistance to families

• $1.7M Family Services Initiative Basic Needs Fund: JWB’s Family Services Initiative offers real-time basic need assistance to families, including rent/utility assistance, food, and household items. While this fund is in place for access by families year-round, it is especially critical given the current crisis. To request support, families should dial 2-1-1.

For more information on food assistance for Pinellas County children and families, visit www.jwbpinellas.org/childhood-hunger.

For the Family Services Initiative for basic needs assistance, families should dial 2-1-1 or visit https://211tampabay.org/family-services-initiative-fsi.

For those wishing to donate, JWB recommends contributions be directed to the Pinellas Community Foundation and their Disaster Relief and Childhood Hunger funds; visit www.pcfpinellas.org.

Pinellas County Schools

To reach more families in need during this unprecedented period of school closures, Pinellas County Schools will more than double the number of school sites for meal distributions.

Seven new sites went online starting April 6 and will be followed by six more school sites on Monday, April 13. This will bring the district’s total number of meal distribution locations from nine to 22.

The times and days will vary next week between the original nine locations and the seven new schools as PCS transitions to a consistent schedule for all 22 meal distribution school sites starting on April 13.

For the week of April 6, the nine original school sites and times remain. Thursday distribution will include meals for Thursday and Friday.

The schedule for the nine original school sites follows:

• Dunedin Middle School, 70 Patricia Ave., Dunedin — 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.

• Eisenhower Elementary, 2800 Drew St., Clearwater — 11 a.m. to noon

• Fairmount Elementary, 575 41st St. S., St. Petersburg — 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

• Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary, 6505 68th St. N., Pinellas Park — 11 a.m. to noon

• John Hopkins Middle School, 701 16th St. S., St. Petersburg — 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

• New Heights Elementary, 3901 37th St. N., St. Petersburg — 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.

• Plumb Elementary, 1920 Lakeview Road, Clearwater — 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

• Southern Oak Elementary, 9101 Walsingham Road, Largo — 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

• Tarpon Springs Elementary, 555 Pine St., Tarpon Springs — 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Seven new school sites opened April 6 and distribute meals on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday only from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. These schools will distribute two days’ worth of meals, including two breakfasts and two lunches on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The seven new school sites include:

• Azalea Middle School, 7855 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg

• Bay Point Elementary School, 2151 62nd Ave. S., St, Petersburg

• Clearwater Intermediate, 1220 Palmetto St., Clearwater

• High Point Elementary School, 5921 150th Ave. N., Clearwater

• Kings Highway Elementary School, 1715 Kings Highway, Clearwater

• Largo Middle School, 155 Eighth Ave. SE, Largo

• Oak Grove Middle School, 1370 S. Belcher Road, Clearwater

Beginning the week of April 13, six new school sites open. All school sites switch to a Monday-Wednesday and Friday only from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All schools will prepare meals in the school site kitchens. Grab-n-Go bags include meals for two days — including two breakfasts and two lunches — per student adding Saturday for total of six days per week.

The six new school sites include:

• Anona Elementary School, 12301 Indian Rocks Road, Largo

• Garrison-Jones Elementary School, 3133 Garrison Road, Dunedin

• Gulfport Elementary School, 2014 52nd St. S., Gulfport

• McMullen Booth Elementary School, 3025 Union St., Clearwater

• North Shore Elementary School, 200 35th Ave. NE, St. Petersburg

• Sawgrass Lake Elementary School, 1815 77th Ave. N., St. Petersburg

Breakfast includes a cereal or breakfast bar, juice and milk. Lunch includes sandwich, fruit cup, juice, and milk. Meals will be served Grab & Go. Meals are free for anyone 18 years old and younger. The child or teen must be present to receive meals. Meals will be served as drive-thru at the car/bus circle. Walkers should go to the main entrance of the school.

YMCA partnerships

The YMCAs of the Tampa Bay are teaming up with community partners to feed families and fight food insecurity during these unprecedented times. The Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA, YMCA of the Suncoast and YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg are working with Feeding Tampa Bay, local school districts and other organizations to help provide fresh food to families across Greater Tampa Bay.

Several YMCA locations also serve as food distribution sites in the following ways:

Feeding Tampa Bay Breakspot meals

Open to children 18 and younger. In a drive-thru type model, each child receives a free to-go meal for today and breakfast for tomorrow.

Monday-Friday, 10-11 a.m.

• Clearwater YMCA

1005 S. Highland Ave., Clearwater

Monday-Friday, 2 to 3 p.m.

727-461-9622

• Greater Ridgecrest YMCA

1801 119th St. N, Largo

727-559-0500

Mobile pantry

• St. Petersburg Free Clinic, 863 Third Ave. N., St. Petersburg.

Families with children at home can receive free family-friendly foods in a drive-thru type model.

Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. to noon

• Child’s Park YMCA

691 43rd St. S., St. Petersburg

727-209-9622

Area food pantries

Residents are advised to call ahead before visiting a food pantry to see if they have food available.

Clearwater

BAY AREA PREGNANCY CENTER

2380 Drew St. #6, Clearwater

727-449-1988. Call for details.

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH

1200 Keene Road S., Clearwater

727-446-0988

Fourth Saturday of every month from 8:30 a.m. to noon

CLEARWATER FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

1875 Nursery Road, Clearwater

727-536-1498

Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

CLEARWATER SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

1445 Lakeview Road, Clearwater

727-446-6427

Wednesdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

COUNTRYSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH

2525 N. McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater

727-726-2550

Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

*can come every 2 months

FLOWING RIVER CHURCH

1148 E. Turner St., Clearwater

727-461-1148

Fridays (except first of the month) from 2 to 4 p.m.

HELPING HANDS (COUNTRYSIDE CARES)

2565 Blackburn St., Clearwater

727-724-1290

*First 50 families

Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m.

HIGH POINT NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILY CENTER

5812 150TH Ave N., Clearwater

727-533-0730

Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon (food pantry)

Friday, 10:30 a.m. to noon (GOA boxes)

NORTHWOOD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

2875 State Road 580, Clearwater, FL 33761

727-796-8090

Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY SERVICES (RCS)

700 Druid Road, Clearwater

727-443-4031

Monday-Wednesday, Friday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, 12:30 to 6:45 p.m.

SALVATION ARMY – DRUID ROAD

1521 E. Druid Road, Clearwater

727-446-4177

Current clients only

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:30 to 11:45 a.m.

ST. MARY COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH

2930 Country Road 193, Clearwater

727-644-5190. Call for details

SYLVAN ABBEY UNITED METHODIST

2817 Sunset Point Road, Clearwater

727-796-3057

Mondays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dunedin

CLEARWATER COMMUNITY CHURCH / HARRIET’S PANTRY

2897 Belcher Road, Dunedin

727-799-4444

Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursdays, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

DUNEDIN CARES INC.

1620 Pinehurst Road, Dunedin

813-215-7773

Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon

Indian Rocks Beach

BEACH COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

Calvary Episcopal Church, 1615 First St., Indian Rocks Beach

727-595-2374, bcfoodpantry.org.

Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon; Thursdays, 5 to 7 p.m.

Largo

ABUNDANT LIFE MINISTRIES

1550 S. Belcher Road, Largo

727-210-5433

Thursdays, 9 to 11 a.m.

BEACON STREET MINISTRIES

3470 Adrian Ave., Largo

727-278-2285

Thursdays 5:30 to 7 p.m.

INDIAN ROCKS BAPTIST CHURCH

12685 Ulmerton Road, Largo

727-595-3421

Thursdays 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Oldsmar

OLDSMAR CARES

163 State Road 580 W., Oldsmar

813-415-7373

Monday and Wednesday, 5:30 to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon

ROCK CHURCH OF TAMPA BAY

3970 Tampa Road, Oldsmar

727-657-4876. Call first, Monday and Thursday 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Palm Harbor

FEAST FOOD

2255 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor

727-789-5275

Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. to noon

Pinellas Park

GOOD SAMARITAN CHURCH

6085 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park

727-544-8558

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

9025 49TH St., Pinellas Park

727-546-5741

Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 to 11 a.m.

SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH

4661 82nd Ave N., Pinellas Park

727-541-4447

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 to 11 a.m.

ST. GILES FOOD PANTRY

8271 52nd St. N., Pinellas Park

727-544-6856

Monday to Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

SUNCOAST HAVEN OF REST RESCUE MISSION

1763 Ninth Ave N., Pinellas Park

727-545-8282

Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Safety Harbor

MATTIE WILLIAMS NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILY CENTER

1003 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N., Safety Harbor

727-791-8255

Thursdays, 9-11 a.m. and 5-6 p.m.

Seminole

FEEDING GOD’S PEOPLE

10944 70th Ave., Seminole

727-459-6022

St. Petersburg

ASAP HOMELESS SERVICE

3050 First Ave S., St. Petersburg

727-328-3260

Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

BETHEL AME CHURCH

912 Third Ave N., St. Petersburg

727-822-2089

Tuesdays, 10-10:30 a.m.

BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH

3455 26th Ave S., St. Petersburg

727-327-0554

Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

CLEARVIEW UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

4515 38th Ave. N., St. Petersburg

727-522-4673

Thursdays, 9:30 to 11 a.m.

DAYSTAR LIFE CENTER

226 Sixth St S., St. Petersburg

727-825-0442

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ELIM SDA CHURCH

4824 Second Ave. S., St. Petersburg

727-350-3531

Wednesdays, 9 to 11 a.m.

LEALMAN AND ASIAN NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILY CENTER

4255 56th Ave. N., St. Petersburg

727-520-9820

Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

MERCY KEEPERS

2021 Ninth Ave. S., St. Petersburg

727-823-8795

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.

NORTHSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH

6000 38th Ave. N., St. Petersburg

727-329-9166

Wednesdays, 6 to 8 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon

NORTHWEST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

6330 54th Ave. N., St. Petersburg

727-544-4551

Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon

PASADENA COMMUNITY CHURCH

5501 31st St S., St. Petersburg

727-381-2499

Must call first, Second Thursday of the month, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

PASADENA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

100 Pasadena Ave. N., St. Petersburg

727-479-6150

Second Saturday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Still providing food but must call ahead

PEOPLE THAT LOVE CHURCH AND MISSION

817 Fifth Ave. N., St. Petersburg

727-820-0775

Food and clothing available at 2 p.m. Monday to Friday

PINELLAS COMMUNITY CHURCH

5501 31st St. N., St. Petersburg

727-866-1184

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 6:45 p.m.

THE KIND MOUSE PRODUCTIONS

1801 16th St. N., St. Petersburg

Visit thekindmouse.org or call 727-575-7834.

ST. BARTHLOMEW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

3747 34th St. S., St. Petersburg

727-867-7015

First and third Sunday of the month, 10:30 a.m. to noon

ST. LUKE’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

4444 Fifth Ave. N., St. Petersburg

727-321-1335

Mondays 5 to 6:30 p.m.

ST. PETE FREE CLINIC

863 Third Ave. N., St. Petersburg.

Food donations accepted Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 am.-12:30 p.m.

Visit https://stpetersburgfreeclinic.org.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CLARA’S CLOSET (HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC PARISH)

200 78th Ave. NE, St. Petersburg

727-526-5783

Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to noon, 1 to 3 p.m.

WESLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

301 37th Ave. N., St. Petersburg

727-896-4797

Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to noon

Tarpon Springs

ST. IGNATIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH

715 E. Orange St., Tarpon Springs

727-937-4050

Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to noon

THE SHEPHERD CENTER

304 S. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs

727-939-1400

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

To view the full news story by The Suncoast News, visit http://www.suncoastnews.com/news/where-to-find-donate-food-in-pinellas-county/article_3a7520a6-7c2b-11ea-9a9e-9f6a7e0bf6f4.html