The Mosaic Company and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced the location of a second food pantry as the organizations team up to tackle hunger in Tampa Bay by opening food pantries annually in regional communities most in need. 

The Tackling Hunger fueled by Mosaic partnership with the Buccaneers enables Feeding Tampa Bay, part of the Feeding America network, to build and manage school pantries in areas of need. The second food pantry will be hosted at Lamb Elementary School in Progress Village, Riverview, Florida. This new pantry will help support the nearly 600 students and their families who attend the school. 

“One in four children in Tampa Bay are food insecure, partnerships like this are critical to lifting the potential of each and every child,” said Thomas Mantz, President & CEO for Feeding Tampa Bay. “This Hunger Action Month, as we respond to the escalating need brought on by inflation, it remains critical to support our neighbors struggling with food insecurity.”

The partnership is inspired by Mosaic’s mission and passion to address food insecurity, and the Buccaneers’ extensive community platform to drive social change and empower youth. But it takes a team to tackle hunger, that is why this year, the program will also offer the community an opportunity to power up the partnership and provide additional support to Feeding Tampa Bay by donating virtually leading into the Week 8 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. 

“These food pantries will serve a vital role in helping to resolve the issues of food insecurity in areas that need it the most,” said Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vice President of Community Impact Tara Battiato.  “We look forward to continuing to grow these services over the coming years with our great partners at Mosaic.”  

With additional community support, including cash donations and food drives, and a match from Mosaic – in total, the program donated more than $75,000 to Feeding Tampa Bay last year.

“Around the world, we are seeing the effects of volatile markets that will inevitably impact the most vulnerable,” explained Ben Pratt, Mosaic’s Senior Vice President of Government & Public Affairs. “Partnerships like this one help raise awareness and address food insecurity. Tampa is our home; we live and work here. We believe it is our responsibility to support our neighbors in times of need.”

This commitment is the next step in Mosaic’s long-term partnership with Feeding Tampa Bay. Since 2010, Mosaic has donated over $1,350,000 toward hunger relief in Tampa Bay through the partnership, including weekend backpacks for children, mobile food pantry expansion, warehouse improvements, and purchasing much needed equipment including vehicles, among other capital expenses. 

Across the globe in 2020, Mosaic, The Mosaic Company Foundation, and The Mosaic Institute in Brazil donated more than $15 million toward community investments, including nearly $7.4 million supporting food programs around the world.