The economy in Tampa Bay is producing great hardships for many. Many have to choose between feeding their family or paying the mortgage. Feeding the unemployed is being made a priority at the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership.

Food banks in Tampa Bay are overwhelmed but they are not the only solution any longer. You need not be dependant upon the increasing bare shelves at the food banks but instead can now independently act to bring home the family’s meals for free.

“It is an important part of the American character to be the provider, to feed our families is to be the successful hunter-gatherer embedded in our genetic make up” Says Jim Morrow of the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership. Knowing this need we are committed to assisting the unemployed bring home the bacon themselves, so to speak, for free”.

Starting next week the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership will offer a weekly workshop on Dumpster Dining. “Florida is the land of sunshine and opportunity, free food is out there for the taking and we will teach you how” says Mindy Newage, an expert on dumpster dining with years of direct experience on the subject from New York City. Brought in with a $150,000 a year salary by the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership Mindy as both a teacher and program manager.

The program will be called The “Community Local Food Assistance Program” and Mindy has already applied for grants from the county, state and federal governments on behalf of the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership to expand the program.

At the workshop the unemployed will learn the key points to eating from dumpsters such as:

• How to find a good dumpster that is unlocked.
• When the best time to harvest dumpsters are.
• How to identify and avoid rotten foods.
• Where you are most likely to find prepackaged foods in dumpsters.
• Ways to protect your chosen dumpster from other hungry unemployed people.

Dana Shortcomings of the Greater Tampa Bay Tourism and Convention Bureau reiterated the value of the program. “We have plenty of fine dining establishments in Tampa Bay offering high quality dumpster dining opportunities for the local unemployed.”