The Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry would like to give a big Thank You to the Gluten Free for Life Expo that was held in St. Petersburg this past weekend! Thank you for sending us away from the expo with a truck full of GF food donations! We are thankful to all of the vendors who donated gluten free food, to Carolanne for allowing us to set up a table at the event and create more awareness about our mission, and to Melanie for helping to bring the donations to the Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry at Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa! These donations will help many Gluten Free families in need!
Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry is currently a collaboration between Gluten Free Friends of Tampa and Metropolitan Ministries to provide nonperishable GF food to Gluten Free Families in Need. It is the first of its kind in Tampa, Florida!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Update on the 3rd Annual GF Holiday Food Drive--Please Help To Make A GF Family Thanksgiving!
The Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry will be doing a 3rd Annual GF Holiday Food Drive from November 23rd through December 28th. We are trying to collect holiday meal non-perishable GF food donations for GF families in need that go to Metropolitan Ministries for help. This year is extra special because it is the first time that we have had requests for GF Holiday Boxes! There are a growing number of families in need requesting GF food on a regular basis at the emergency food pantry and this year some have come forward to say they need help with getting GF food for their holiday meals.
When I have gone to restock the Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry this Fall, I have spoken to the Metropolitan Ministries Staff Members who are there day in and day out and they have told me several stories that keep me motivated to help. Recently a woman came to the food pantry with her daughter to get some emergency food rations, but explained to the staff that her daughter has food allergies and must have gluten free food. The wonderful staff led the woman and her daughter into the emergency food pantry and over to the GF food section. The little girl was all excited and said, "Mommy, look at all of this gluten free food!" The staff shared with me that the mother was crying with relief that there was food that her daughter could eat and not get sick. The little girl was acting like she was in a candy shop with how excited she was picking out food from the shelves.
Another mother recently e-mailed me asking about GF Holiday Boxes and explained that she does not usually ask anyone for help, but they could definitely use some help this year. The mom has five kids and two of the five have already been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. One of her little daughters has been in and out of the hospital a lot and the medical bills are growing. She has had to quit her job to stay home and try to help her daughter get better so now they only have one paycheck instead of two, yet more expenses. This story and many more motivate me to try to help GF families in need and to reach out to more GF community members to try and help as the need grows.
Please help by buying some of the GF nonperishable holiday food items in the list below and dropping them into the Metropolitan Ministries blue food barrel at Nutrition S'Mart of Carrollwood. Nutrition S'Mart is the only local health food store so far that has supported us by agreeing to let us keep a food barrel at the exit to their store. Please support this local business that is supporting us by buying GF food from them to donate! Here is their website for more details on their location: http://nutritionsmart.com/stores/carrollwood.html
Gluten Free Holiday Box of Hope:
Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Central.
When I have gone to restock the Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry this Fall, I have spoken to the Metropolitan Ministries Staff Members who are there day in and day out and they have told me several stories that keep me motivated to help. Recently a woman came to the food pantry with her daughter to get some emergency food rations, but explained to the staff that her daughter has food allergies and must have gluten free food. The wonderful staff led the woman and her daughter into the emergency food pantry and over to the GF food section. The little girl was all excited and said, "Mommy, look at all of this gluten free food!" The staff shared with me that the mother was crying with relief that there was food that her daughter could eat and not get sick. The little girl was acting like she was in a candy shop with how excited she was picking out food from the shelves.
Another mother recently e-mailed me asking about GF Holiday Boxes and explained that she does not usually ask anyone for help, but they could definitely use some help this year. The mom has five kids and two of the five have already been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. One of her little daughters has been in and out of the hospital a lot and the medical bills are growing. She has had to quit her job to stay home and try to help her daughter get better so now they only have one paycheck instead of two, yet more expenses. This story and many more motivate me to try to help GF families in need and to reach out to more GF community members to try and help as the need grows.
Please help by buying some of the GF nonperishable holiday food items in the list below and dropping them into the Metropolitan Ministries blue food barrel at Nutrition S'Mart of Carrollwood. Nutrition S'Mart is the only local health food store so far that has supported us by agreeing to let us keep a food barrel at the exit to their store. Please support this local business that is supporting us by buying GF food from them to donate! Here is their website for more details on their location: http://nutritionsmart.com/stores/carrollwood.html
Gluten Free Holiday Box of Hope:
- 1 Gluten Free Whole Turkey or Gift Certificate for a Turkey
- GF Mashed Potatoes (1 box)
- GF Gravy (1 container)
- GF Stuffing (1 box)
- GF Rice (1 box or bag)
- GF Canned Black Beans (2 cans)
- GF Canned Vegetables (2 cans)
- GF Canned Fruit or Jars of Applesauce (2 cans)
- GF Cranberry Sauce (2 cans)
- GF Canned Pumpkin (1 can)
- GF Bisquick or GF Multipurpose Flour (1 box)
- GF Dessert Mix (1 box of GF Cake Mix or 1 box of GF Brownie Mix)
- GF Cookies (1 box)
- GF Pudding (2 boxes)
- GF Cereal (1 box)
- GF Oatmeal (1 box)
Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Central.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Summer/Early Fall Update on Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry
Katrina Tiller went to the Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry at Metropolitan Ministries this past week to check on it and to bring some GF food donations. A big thank you to Carolanne and to the other council members of the Gluten Free For Life Expo who donated a Publix gift card to use for GF food purchases during the slow summer months. The Publix gift card allowed Katrina to purchase much needed GF nonperishable food for the Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry on several occasions over the summer and just recently in September. The shelves were starting to look bare this week so Katrina will be buying GF food with the remainder of the money on the gift card and bringing it over this coming Tuesday.
Also, a big thank you to Namaste Foods for sending some gluten free food donations that just arrived at the end of the week! This is such a blessing and Katrina will also be bringing this food over to the pantry this Tuesday!
Katrina will be attending the Tampa Celiac Support Group meeting on Saturday, October 12th and will be attending the Largo Gluten Free For Life Support Group meeting on Saturday, November 23rd in an effort to start gathering GF non-perishable food donations for the 3rd Annual GF Holiday Food Drive. Please spread the word for people to bring GF food donations to these meetings! Thank you in advance for any and all GF food donations given for the GF Holiday Food Drive!
Gluten Free Holiday Box of Hope:
Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Central.
Also, a big thank you to Namaste Foods for sending some gluten free food donations that just arrived at the end of the week! This is such a blessing and Katrina will also be bringing this food over to the pantry this Tuesday!
Katrina will be attending the Tampa Celiac Support Group meeting on Saturday, October 12th and will be attending the Largo Gluten Free For Life Support Group meeting on Saturday, November 23rd in an effort to start gathering GF non-perishable food donations for the 3rd Annual GF Holiday Food Drive. Please spread the word for people to bring GF food donations to these meetings! Thank you in advance for any and all GF food donations given for the GF Holiday Food Drive!
Gluten Free Holiday Box of Hope:
- 1 Gluten Free Whole Turkey or Gift Certificate for a Turkey
- GF Mashed Potatoes (1 box)
- GF Gravy (1 container)
- GF Stuffing (1 box)
- GF Rice (1 box or bag)
- GF Canned Black Beans (2 cans)
- GF Canned Vegetables (2 cans)
- GF Canned Fruit or Jars of Applesauce (2 cans)
- GF Cranberry Sauce (2 cans)
- GF Canned Pumpkin (1 can)
- GF Bisquick or GF Multipurpose Flour (1 box)
- GF Dessert Mix (1 box of GF Cake Mix or 1 box of GF Brownie Mix)
- GF Cookies (1 box)
- GF Pudding (2 boxes)
- GF Cereal (1 box)
- GF Oatmeal (1 box)
Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Central.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Gluten Free Summer Food Drive
Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry will be doing a Gluten Free Summer Food Drive to restock some GF items that are running low at the Metropolitan Ministries' Tampa location. We are also hoping to open a second location and in order to do that we need more GF food donations! Please help Gluten Free Families in Need by donating the following nonperishable GF foods:
Summer Gluten Free Box of Hope
Gluten Free Boxed Cereal (1-2 Boxes)*
Gluten Free Peanut Butter (1-2 Jars)*
Gluten Free Jam or Jelly (1-2 Jars)*
Gluten Free Bread Mix (1-2 Boxes)
Gluten Free Canned Meat (2 Cans)*
Gluten Free Rice (1-2 Bags or Boxes)*
Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese (1-2 Boxes)
Gluten Free Soup (2 Cans)
Gluten Free Cookies (1-2 Boxes)*
Gluten Free Cake or Gluten Free Brownie Mix (1-2 Boxes)
Gluten Free Canned Fruit or Gluten Free Jars of Applesauce (1-2)*
Items that have an asterick (*) are the ones that are needed the most right now.
Please bring all GF food donations to the Nutrition S'Mart on N. Dale Mabry Hwy and look for the blue food barrel by the exit. Here is the website for more details: http://www.nutritionsmart.com/stores/carrollwood.html
Also, individuals or organizations interested in donating a lot of GF food but who are too far away from this location....please e-mail Katrina Tiller at glutenfreefriendsoftampa@gmail.com. Katrina Tiller is the Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry Coordinator. Thank you in advance for all of your help with providing GF food to GF families in need!
Thanks Namaste Foods!
The Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry would like to say a big Thank You to Namaste Foods for their recent donations to help Gluten Free families in need! It is often difficult to secure GF food donations in the summer but Namaste Foods was very generous in sending us many of their products! Namaste Foods has donated many of their GF pasta products such as Say Cheez, Taco Pasta, and Pasta Pisavera. Namaste Foods has also donated products such as their GF bread mix, GF waffle and pancake mix, GF vanilla cake mix, and their GF spice cake mix. To learn about their great products which are gluten free, dairy free, casein free, soy free, corn free, potato free, and peanut free....please see their website: Namaste Foods Website.
Thank You to Gluten Free for Life Expo for all of the GF Food Donations!
The Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry would like to say a big THANK YOU to the Gluten Free for Life Expo Coordinator Carolanne for asking us to participate in the Expo and collect GF food donations at the event. We went away from the event with a whole truck full of GF food donations!
We would also like to thank the following GF companies who donated many nonperishable food donations at the end of the Expo: Namaste Foods, Udi's, Glutino, Enjoy Life Foods, and Pirate's Booty. We appreciate your help in feeding GF families in need in Tampa Bay!
We would also like to thank the following GF companies who donated many nonperishable food donations at the end of the Expo: Namaste Foods, Udi's, Glutino, Enjoy Life Foods, and Pirate's Booty. We appreciate your help in feeding GF families in need in Tampa Bay!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry Collecting at Gluten Free for Life Expo in St. Pete
Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry will be collecting donations at the door to the upcoming Gluten Free for Life Expo at the St. Pete Coliseum on Saturday March 23rd. The GF Expo will feature many great speakers, local and national companies offering samples of gluten free products, gluten free raffles, and more! Please bring a $10 donation for Camp Weekaneatit for entry into this event and a GF nonperishable food item to donate to the Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry. The coordinator of the Tampa Gluten Free Food Pantry, Katrina Tiller, will be just inside the doors of the St. Pete Coliseum collecting GF food donations throughout the event. Thank you in advance for your support of Gluten Free Families in Need and for attending such a great community event to connect and support gluten free families and individuals throughout the Tampa Bay area! To learn more about the upcoming Gluten Free For Life Expo, go to http://glutenfreeforlifeexpo1.blogspot.com/. We will look forward to seeing you there!!
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