Pictured from left: Jennifer Taylor, Tampa Electric account manager; Jim Carpenter, Feeding Tampa Bay senior director of facilities; and Susan Reckner, Feeding Tampa Bay guest experience coordinator.
How Feeding Tampa Bay prepares to keep serving the community when it matters most
Keeping a community fed during a disaster takes more than just food. It takes preparation for everything that can stand between a meal and the person who needs it.
When a storm disrupts power, closes grocery stores and makes roads difficult to travel on, something as routine as getting a meal can become a challenge. For families already facing food insecurity, the disruption can make a difficult situation even harder.
For organizations like Feeding Tampa Bay, preparing for that moment starts long before a storm arrives. Serving 10 counties and nearly 1 million residents experiencing food insecurity. Feeding Tampa Bay is a recognized first responder during hurricanes and other disasters. Its job is not only to have food available, but to have the infrastructure, resources and partnerships in place to keep that food moving when communities need it most.
Preparing for the unexpected
That need for preparedness was a key consideration when Feeding Tampa Bay opened its new Causeway Center in 2024. The 215,000-square-foot facility expanded warehouse space, increased cold storage capacity and created room for additional services and community partners, allowing Feeding Tampa Bay to serve more neighbors across the region.
Keeping a facility of that scale operating during an emergency requires more than space and supplies. It also requires reliable power.
Pictured: Feeding Tampa Bay's Causeway Center expanded kitchen facility.
A partnership built for resilience
Pictured from left: Jennifer Taylor, Tampa Electric account manager and Jim Carpenter, Feeding Tampa Bay senior director of facilities.
The shared priority of reliable electricity brought Feeding Tampa Bay and Tampa Electric together to strengthen the facility's ability to remain operational before, during and after major storms.
"When we built our new Causeway Center, we needed a reliable partner that understood what it means to be ready for our community at all times," said Jim Carpenter, senior director of facilities for Feeding Tampa Bay. "Tampa Electric helped us plan for emergency power needs and develop solutions that keep us operational when our neighbors need us most. From disaster response to day-to-day support, their partnership helps us remain a dependable resource for the nearly 1 million residents we serve across West Central Florida. Knowing we can continue serving our community during emergencies gives us confidence that we're prepared when our neighbors need us most. "The collaboration helped Feeding Tampa Bay:
- Plan for reliable backup power during emergencies.
- Strengthen operational readiness during severe weather events.
- Support uninterrupted service for people who depend on food assistance and other critical resources.
And the partnership goes beyond emergency preparedness. Throughout the year, Tampa Electric employees support Feeding Tampa Bay through volunteer events, food distribution and community outreach programs. At Feeding Tampa Bay's Neighbor Empowerment Center, Tampa Electric team members regularly help connect community members with available assistance programs and resources.
Results that reach beyond disaster response
Today, Feeding Tampa Bay is better positioned to respond when challenges arise, including hurricanes, economic hardship or unexpected life events.
The organization's expanded facility and preparedness planning help ensure it can continue serving neighbors when support is needed most. At the same time, its programs continue addressing the root causes of food insecurity through education, workforce development and access to community resources.
Ready for whatever comes next
Pictured from left: Jennifer Taylor, Tampa Electric account manager and Jim Carpenter, Feeding Tampa Bay senior director of facilities.
The partnership helps Feeding Tampa Bay stay prepared to respond when challenges arise—from hurricanes and power disruptions to economic hardship and unexpected life events—while continuing its mission to support the community every day.
Its expanded facility and emergency planning help the organization to continue moving food and resources into the community when it’s needed most. At the same time, Feeding Tampa Bay's programs address the broader challenges contributing to food insecurity through education, workforce development and access to community resources.
Together, Feeding Tampa Bay and Tampa Electric are helping strengthen the region's resilience, ensuring support is available.