ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – The COVID-19 pandemic has left people across Tampa Bay out of work with some even struggling to feed their families.
St. Petersburg Free Clinic C.E.O Jennifer Yeagley says the number of people coming to the nonprofit’s food pantry has tripled in just a few months. “In February, our first pre-COVID month, we served 6000 individuals in our food bank and food pantry. In May, we served over 18,000 individuals,” said Yeagley.
The nonprofit surveyed people coming to the food pantry for help and learned around 70% had either lost their job, lost wages, or had been furloughed because of COVID-19. The survey also found that about half of the people the nonprofit are now serving have never been to a food bank before.
