TAMPA, Fla. \u2014\u00a0As grocery prices continue to rise, many families in Hillsborough County are feeling the strain.<\/p>\n
In Progress Village, an area long considered a food desert, one nonprofit is working to change that by bringing fresh, accessible food directly into the community.<\/p>\n
Inside the \u201cFoodtique<\/a>,\u201d shelves are stocked with produce, pantry staples, and small treats, arranged to feel more like a store than a traditional food pantry.<\/p>\n What You Need To Know<\/p>\n Twanda\u00a0Bradley founded Grow My Giving, Inc.<\/a>, the nonprofit behind the Foodtique, to address both affordability and access \u2014 two major barriers for families in the area \u201cThese areas here, this is our lunch area. And they get to choose from these two, from something, from each of these. And then over here is where we have our little goodies,\u201d said founder Twanda Bradley. \u201cIt\u2019s just like a boutique.\u201d<\/p>\n Bradley founded Grow My Giving, Inc., the nonprofit behind the Foodtique, to address both affordability and access \u2014 two major barriers for families in the area.<\/p>\n \u201cWe get fresh produce the day of, we wait for the day of, so it can last,\u201d Bradley said.<\/p>\n Families sign up for 15-minute time slots to shop, free of charge. It’s an approach designed to create a more personal and dignified experience.<\/p>\n For many residents, especially seniors, the Foodtique is more than convenient. It\u2019s essential.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are the only one that’s open to the public in the neighborhood. And people just can walk over,\u201d Bradley said.<\/p>\n The concept grew through partnerships, including support from Hillsborough County.<\/p>\n \u201cPartnering with the county in 2025 allowed us to get started, and then partner with another organization gave us really that push,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n But as demand increases, so do the challenges \u2014 especially with rising food costs. Bradley is looking into partnering with farmers.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s a future idea. How can we get produce what they have down south, down here, where it’s free to us,\u201d Bradley said, referencing efforts to connect with local farmers.<\/p>\n Agriculturalist Walter L. Smith Jr. says long-term solutions must include investing in the next generation of farmers and new technologies.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to know about this in order to become educated on the new technologies regarding farming,” he said. “It’s important for them to recognize how the environmental changes that are taking place in soil and water and air.<\/p>\n “What are the new innovations?\u201d<\/p>\n Back at the Foodtique, Bradley says nothing goes to waste.<\/p>\n \u201cTo try to keep it fresh for next week. After a while, we do have to get rid of it. And then what we do, we actually give it to someone that has an animal,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She says the need has only intensified.<\/p>\n And in an economy where every dollar matters, the impact is immediate.<\/p>\n \u201cIt takes them into another week that needs money in their pockets. The average meal that we push out are the groceries that they receive is somewhere between $40, almost $50. So that money stays in their pocket,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Bradley says the Foodtique is especially vital for older residents.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have more seniors that visit these the boutique than we have family members,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd so, being able to address the needs of the seniors in the community and the surrounding community makes a big, big difference. And we are so happy that we are able to put that food on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n The Foodtique is open on the second and fourth Thursday of every month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TAMPA, Fla. \u2014\u00a0As grocery prices continue to rise, many families in Hillsborough County are feeling the strain. 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Families sign up for 15-minute time slots to shop, free of charge. It’s an approach designed to create a more personal and dignified experience
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The Foodtique<\/a> is open on the second and fourth Thursday of every month<\/p>\n