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Keeping Hunger At Bay

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE and LAURA FRAZIER

dlwhite@tampatrib.com yhammett@tampatrib.com

Published: December 3, 2008

BRANDON - Chris and Peggy Shoutair are accustomed to large shopping orders.

Accompanied by nine of their 11 children Nov. 23 at Publix on Bloomingdale Avenue, the couple quickly collected all the items on a shopping list handed out that morning at Bell Shoals Baptist Church, then delivered the groceries to a 24-foot truck waiting outside the store destined for the Emergency Care Help Organization in Brandon.

"This is just something we wanted to do," said Peggy Shoutair. "We're in a position to make things a little bit better for someone else."

Congregants from more than 20 east and south Hillsborough County churches left services early the Sunday before Thanksgiving to help provide for the less fortunate by participating in a food drive.

The effort, called Feed the Bay, was launched in 2006 by Bay Life Church in Brandon, whose members collected 30,000 pounds of food in three hours.

Organizers of this year's event estimate 15,000 people collected some 270,000 pounds of food for area food bank shelves.

Working off preprinted shopping lists, people shopped at seven Sweetbay and eight Publix stores. Grocery store trucks later hauled the food to a dozen area food banks.

By noon at the Bloomingdale Publix, volunteers had filled one truck and were beginning to load a second. Scott Higgins, a volunteer from Bell Shoals Baptist, said more than 300 people had dropped off donations.

"It's been an overwhelming turnout," Higgins said. "It brings tears to your eyes."

Kassie Skinner and Julia Ryan, members of St. Andrew's United Methodist Church in Brandon, decided Feed the Bay was an ideal opportunity to teach their 5-year-old sons, Jackson and Danny, a lesson about charity. They had the boys pick out all the items on the shopping list themselves.

"The number one goal is to share the generosity the Lord gave us," Ryan said. "And secondly, this is a great way to teach our children about helping others."

The push to stock food banks' shelves comes at a time when charitable donations are down and more people need help.

Buddy Payne, pastor of hospital and benevolent ministries at Bell Shoals Baptist, said he's receiving 15 to 20 calls a day from people who need help to cope with the economic slump.

"It's so great to see so many people reaching out to help their neighbors," said Payne, who helped with the collection at the Bloomingdale Avenue Sweetbay store in Valrico.

Fifteen-year-old twin brothers Jason and Justin Subadan of Bell Shoals Baptist Church had no trouble grasping the impact of the effort they were participating in.

"It lets the less fortunate know they're in our hearts and prayers," Jason said.

"There are a lot of people out there struggling," added Justin. "But with the help of all these churches, no one has to go hungry this Thanksgiving."

To spur the effort, participating churches will accept cash donations or grocery store gift cards all year. For information, visit Feed thebay.org.

PARTICIPATING CHURCHES

Bay Life Church, Brandon

Bay Life Church, Riverview

Bell Shoals Baptist Church,

Brandon

Bell Shoals Baptist Church, East Bay location, Gibsonton

Big Bend United Methodist Church,

Apollo Beach

Celebration Church, Valrico

Cornerstone Baptist Church,

Brandon

First Baptist Church of Brandon

First United Methodist Church of

Brandon

First United Methodist Church of

Seffner

First Presbyterian Church of

Brandon

FishHawk Fellowship, Lithia

Grace Community United

Methodist Church, Lithia

St. Andrews United Methodist

Church, Brandon

The Crossing Church, Tampa

Holy Innocent's Episcopal Church,

Valrico

Brandon Christian Church

Immanuel Lutheran Church,

Brandon

First Baptist Church of Riverview

Journey Church, Valrico

Relevant Church, Tampa

CHARITIES TO BENEFIT

Emergency Care Help

Organization, Brandon

Metropolitan Ministries, Tampa

Daystar Faith Center, Gibsonton

America's Second Harvest of

Tampa Bay

Life Center of Brandon

Women's Resource Center,

Brandon

Bread of Life, Plant City

Good Samaritan Mission, Balm

Manna On Wheels, Valrico

Beth-El Farm Worker Ministry,

Wimauma

Cynthia Pinckney Ministries,

Seffner

Everyday Blessings, Thonotosassa

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524. Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523. To see more photos of the Feed the Bay food drive, go to Brandon.TBO.com, keyword: Feed the Bay.

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