Boxes filled with hope: Two Million Meals Served at Nativity Outreach Food Bank in One Year
Two Million Meals Served at Nativity Outreach Food Bank in One Year
Two Million Meals Served at Nativity Outreach Food Bank in One Year
A young single mother waits in a car line at the Nativity Catholic Church Food Bank in Brandon. She’s waiting to receive the food that will feed her family for the week. The mom receives no assistance from the government in the form of food stamps, and the high price of groceries has hit her hard. She has recently struggled to provide for her family. Her neighbor told her about the Nativity Food Pantry, which she calls a “blessing.”
A young single mother waits in a car line at the Nativity Catholic Church Food Bank in Brandon. She’s waiting to receive the food that will feed her family for the week. The mom receives no assistance from the government in the form of food stamps, and the high price of groceries has hit her hard. She has recently struggled to provide for her family. Her neighbor told her about the Nativity Food Pantry, which she calls a “blessing.”
Similarly, an elderly woman also waits in line for food. She receives Social Security, which covers her mortgage and some other bills, but she too, has trouble paying for groceries. She fears what would happen without the Nativity Food Pantry.
“I’d go hungry. I really would,” she said.
Nativity Food Pantry is able to help these women and others who are struggling with food insecurity thanks to the generosity of parishioners and the support of Nativity Outreach Food Bank, which is also operated by Nativity Parish. The warehouse is located in Dover and is large enough to supply food and other essential items to 80 ministries and organizations in the Tampa Bay area. They serve people of all faiths and no faith, including migrants and recovering alcohol and drug addicts. They are one of the largest food banks in the area, and they are growing. In fact, in 2024, Nativity Food Bank distributed over 3 million pounds of food, which amounts to about 2 million meals. That’s a 50% increase in the amount of food distributed since 2021.
What makes Nativity Food Bank unique?
While many food banks are well staffed, the Nativity Outreach Food Bank is almost entirely run by volunteers. Julie Ebert is director of the Nativity Outreach Food Bank. She helps five days a week, seven hours a day, as a volunteer. She has been retired for about 10 years. There is only one staff member on the payroll, a warehouse manager.
“You know why I love this place so much? It’s because of the volunteers. They’re all in. I can give it my all because they give it their all. I love doing this. I love the challenge of it. I needed something to occupy my mind since I retired, and I've gotten that. This is my baby, and my goal for this Food Bank is to pay off the mortgage before I leave,” said Ebert.
The mortgage she is referring to is the funds that were borrowed to build a larger warehouse for the Nativity Outreach Food Bank, which opened in 2022. The extra space has allowed them to grow and to bring in new food partners and give away nearly one million more pounds of food since they opened.
A Sign of God’s Love
“Through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, such as feeding the hungry, we offer tangible signs of God’s love to the world in need. We are not simply performing acts of charity; we are participating in the hope that God has given us. Each act is an expression of Christ’s love, a beacon of His mercy, and a powerful reminder that we are called to be instruments of His love in the world,” said Bishop Gregory Parkes, who is inviting Catholics to perform one million acts of mercy in 2025.
Generosity Abounds
Funding for the larger warehouse was assisted by Courageously Living the Gospel, an effort led by Bishop Parkes to have a greater impact on the community by fulfilling the call of Jesus Christ to love one another and to serve those in need. It is the trust and generosity of faithful donors that has enabled Nativity Outreach Food Bank, which was established in 1983, to make a significant impact in the fight against hunger. Nativity extends profound gratitude to all their partners and donors with special recognition going to Feeding Tampa Bay; Publix; Costco; Sprouts; Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; Walmart; Wawa; Dollar General; St. Stephen Parish and Resurrection Parish, Riverview; St. Timothy Parish, Lutz; St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Seffner; Blessed Sacrament Parish, Tampa; St. Clement Parish, Plant City; Mary Help of Christians Parish, Tampa; Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Wimauma; St. Anne Parish, Ruskin; and Prince of Peace Parish, Sun City Center.
Join Nativity in alleviating hunger!
Nativity Outreach Food Bank needs volunteers and financial gifts to help them continue to be an amazing resource in the community. Visit nativityfoodbank.org to learn how you can get involved.
