Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger’s mission is to end hunger in Tampa Bay by bringing people together to find solutions that eliminate barriers, increase access and knowledge, and expand the amount of nutritious food available. Our vision is to build a hunger-free community with access to nutritious food for all.
We are a network of over 350 hunger fighters from all corners of the field who come together to share experiences, knowledge, and the workload in tackling hunger in the Tampa Bay area. Working together, rather than separately, is smarter, more efficient, and more rewarding. We don’t just identify solutions; we implement them
Food insecurity, as measured in the United States, refers to the social and economic problem of lack of food due to resources or other constraints such as illness, not due to voluntary fasting or dieting.
Food insecurity is experienced when there is (1) uncertainty about future food availability and access, (2) an insufficient amount or kind of food, or (3) the need to use socially unacceptable ways to acquire food. Although lack of economic resources is the most common cause, food insecurity can also occur when food is affordable but cannot be accessed because of physical or other constraints, such as limited physical functioning by elderly people or those with disabilities.
Senior hunger, also referred to as elderly hunger, affects more than 1 out of 6 seniors. The growing senior population is just one of the reasons Florida is ranked in the top 10 states with senior hunger risk. Barriers to ending senior hunger include a growing senior population, skipping meals to pay for medications or other bills, home-bound or no access to transportation, funding cuts, and the rising cost of food and fuel.
Childhood hunger is an ever-increasing issue in our area. In the past 5 years alone, there has been a 12% increase in children qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
Almost 62% of children in Hillsborough County qualify for a Free or Reduced Priced Meal – an increase of 12% from 5 years ago.
As part of our mission, we use volunteers to survey grocery stores in the Tampa area.
Volunteer Position: Volunteer Survey Administrator
Purpose and goals:
A vital part of fixing any problem, including hunger, is having an accurate picture of the current situation. To that end, Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger is working with the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics in a research study to collect data on affordability, variety, & quality of foods approved by the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) at local retailers in Hillsborough County.
The volunteer will visit assigned SNAP Retailers & conduct a single, 20 to 30 minute survey using ta specialized application on an Android tablet. This volunteer position is completely independent & can be done on your own schedule, but we do ask that you complete the surveys within a timely manner. If you already have an Android tablet, that’s great, but if you don’t have one, we can furnish one to be used for the survey.
Service Location and Start Date:
There are 12 Retailers in the South Shore area that you could surveying, according to your choice. Each volunteer will survey at least one retail establishment. The 12 retailers are spread across Gibsonton, Lithia/Fort Lonesome, Ruskin, Apollo Beach, and Sun City Center.
We will start our survey activity on October 28.
Responsibilities and Duties:
Data Collection: The survey volunteer will visit one or more retail sites with an Android Tablet and survey the food available. When you talk with one of our representatives the two of you can decide how many stores and where they are located. Again, if you do not own an Android Tablet, one will be furnished.
Commitment Expected:
1-5 hours a week. For instance. if you only survey one store, then your total expectation would be between 1 and 5 hours depending upon the nature and size of the store. In other words, each store is a one-shot deal.
Qualifications:
• Have a reliable form of transportation
• Ability to follow map or GPS
• Computer or Smart Phone experience
• Be comfortable with typing on the tablet and uploading the results.
• Willing to represent Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger
Training:
A PowerPoint Document will be sent to you and we will go over it with you over the phone if you have your own tablet. If we need to bring a tablet out to you we will go over the operation and procedures when we deliver the tablet.
Next Steps:
Seniors in Service helps nonprofits throughout Tampa Bay find volunteers like you to help accomplish their mission. Fill out the form below and someone from Seniors in Service will contact you soon to walk you through the next steps to begin volunteering. In question 4, please include the words “Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger.”