The Florida Aquarium, SSA Group & Feeding Tampa Bay Partner to Reduce Food Waste and Combat Food Insecurity

Tampa, FL (December 24, 2024) – As many people gather this week for a holiday feast, nearly 1 million people in the Tampa Bay community face food insecurity. Recognizing this urgent need, The Florida Aquarium and SSA Group have teamed up with Feeding Tampa Bay to repurpose unserved food from catered events, transforming it into hot meals for those in need.

Through the Aquarium’s food recovery program, chef-prepared entrees, appetizers, side dishes, and fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste after events are donated to Feeding Tampa Bay and distributed to serve our community.

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Courtesy: The Florida Aquarium

Since its launch in December 2022, the Aquarium’s food recovery initiative has had a profound impact, including 624 full pans of food donated to Feeding Tampa Bay, equivalent to more than 18,712 individual servings.

“Wherever we have partners that can help us make sure food is not wasted—and even more importantly, that it ends up on the table of a neighbor or friend who’s struggling—it’s all the better,” said Thomas Mantz, CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay. “At the end of the day, we believe our organizations are here to make our communities better. This partnership exemplifies the shared values we both hold to serve and care for those in need.”

Roger Germann, CEO of The Florida Aquarium, emphasized the significance of this collaboration. “Our community is stronger together and there’s no better organization than Feeding Tampa Bay to repurpose our culinary surplus to ensure someone in our community has a quality meal. It’s a great sense of pride for us to collaborate and pay it forward, helping our community in a different way beyond saving marine wildlife.”

Mindy Pevzner, General Manager for SSA Group at The Florida Aquarium, the Aquarium’s food, beverage and catering services provider, shares her gratitude for the impactful program. “It’s a privilege to be part of an initiative that supports sustainability and uplifts our neighbors,” said Pevzner. “The food we donate never leaves the kitchen—it is safe, nutritious, and making a meaningful difference in our community.”

Contact The Florida Aquarium communications@flaquarium.org