Middle School Students Team Up With Tampa Bay Nonprofit Leaders To Pack Food

Students from Carrollwood Day School worked side-by-side with Feeding Tampa Bay staff, packing meals for families who need them. The kids rolled up their sleeves and got busy helping the Tampa Bay community.

"It's an honor," said Mantz, CEO and president of Feeding Tampa Bay, to ABC Action News.

At FTB's Causeway Center, each student paired up with someone special, Thomas Mantz from Feeding Tampa Bay or Tim Marks of Metropolitan Ministries. The kids dove right into the work, eager to learn and help.

The kids didn't just watch: They jumped in and helped sort, pack, and prepare food boxes. Their eyes lit up as they saw how their work would help feed their neighbors.

"Out with the old guys, in with the new!" said Marks as he watched the students work. The "Changemakers" project, led by teacher Barbie Monty, put the spotlight on fighting local hunger.

Nearly a million Tampa Bay families struggle to put food on their tables. The students saw this firsthand as they toured the center and packed boxes with care.

Working next to nonprofit staff taught the students valuable lessons. They saw exactly how food makes its way from warehouses to dinner tables across Tampa Bay.

ABC Action News supports this work through their "Food for Families" effort. They team up with Feeding Tampa Bay to bring food where it's needed most.

Young hands can make big changes. These students proved that age doesn't matter when it comes to helping others eat well.