Feeding Tampa Bay, Bank United team up for hurricane readiness

TAMPA, Fla. - Feeding Tampa Bay and Bank United are teaming up to help less fortunate families during hurricane season. 

Employees from Bank United are packing hurricane kits at Feeding Tampa Bay in Tampa. 

"The families we serve don't always have the ability to do that," Thomas Mantz, President and CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay said. 

Bank United has come in and they're hoping their group effort inspires the community to donate hurricane-needed essentials. 

"We can always use batteries, flashlights, water, canned goods, anything that you're packing for your hurricane kit. Think of it that way. Let's make sure that that same thing is available for another family," Mantz added.

It's a partnership that Bank United, Cristina Gutierrez are glad to participate in. 

"We're hoping for a slow season. But just in case you want everyone to think about preparedness and especially those that are less fortunate, we want to make sure that they have the essentials that they need to get through anything that may happen," Gutierrez said.

Feeding Tampa Bay believes that the kits will show everyone the need to be hurricane-ready. 

"We as an organization are hurricane ready. We're prepared to make sure if there's a storm, we're there. We also want to make sure that each of the families we serve is as prepared as they can be," Mantz said. 

Public and private business communities are coming together to lend a helping hand to provide hurricane supplies for the Tampa bay community. They will be handing out the kits Wednesday, June 30 at their Hillsborough Mega Pantry from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

The address is 11329 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL 33612.

More information is available at https://feedingtampabay.org/.