Stick A Fork In It

In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Shirley Jump — New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author with 87 published books and 8 million copies sold — opens up about the time after her divorce when she couldn't afford food for herself and her teenage son. She volunteered at a food bank not out of charity alone, but because she was living the same reality.

She was a single mom. Two kids. Two jobs. And $37 left at the end of the pay period. Then she walked into a credit union — and everything changed.

In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Shannon sits down with Bob Hyde of Suncoast Credit Union, one of Feeding Tampa Bay's most valued community partners. Bob shares what "people helping people" looks like beyond the tagline — from one family's journey from $37 to mortgage-free, to how Suncoast is helping make 100 million meals possible across Tampa Bay.

In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Thomas pulls back the curtain on what hunger really looks like in Tampa Bay — and why it's nothing like most of us imagine. We talk about the Causeway Center, the merger with Trinity Cafe that changed everything, why they just opened a medical clinic on campus, and the philosophy that drives everything Feeding Tampa Bay does: 51% dignity, 49% food.

In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Ray talks about what it really feels like to own the paper you grew up reading, why Creative Loafing refuses to put up a paywall, and what he believes about the future of local journalism in Tampa Bay. Plus — what's happening with Restaurant Month, his unexpected dream concert, and why kindness is a muscle you have to train.

When Florida's schools and restaurants shut down, dairy farmers were forced to dump millions of gallons of perfectly good milk — while families just miles away went hungry. In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Andrea McClellan from M&B Dairy pulls back the curtain on what really happens on a Florida dairy farm, and the bill that's finally fixing a heartbreaking problem.

Tampa Bay's most trusted meteorologist Denis Phillips joins Stick a Fork in It to cut through the fear, the hype, and the dangerous social media myths spreading ahead of hurricane season — and he has a message every Tampa Bay family needs to hear.

From the tragic story of 12 lives lost in Pinellas County during Hurricane Helene — people who believed they had nowhere to turn — to the viral "Super El Niño" panic spreading across TikTok and Instagram, Denis breaks down what's real, what's hype, and what you actually need to do before a storm makes landfall.

In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, we sit down with Curtis — a Fresh Force program graduate who turned his life around through one of Tampa Bay's most powerful workforce development programs. Curtis shares the raw truth about his past, the moment he walked through the doors of Feeding Tampa Bay, and how a 10-week training program changed everything for his family.

Tampa food culture has a secret keeper — and his name is Jeff Houck. From Tampa Bay food trucks to the legendary Columbia Restaurant, this former Tampa Tribune food critic knows where every great bite in Florida is hiding. Now working inside the Columbia Restaurant Group, Jeff is on a mission to give back — literally.

Can food actually help cancer survivors heal? A research chef at one of the nation's top cancer centers says yes — and she's putting it to the test in a groundbreaking 12-week clinical study.

In this episode, we sit down with Chef Jules, a research chef working in Moffitt Cancer Center's Population Engagement and Research Laboratory (PEARL), designing medically tailored meals specifically for breast cancer survivors battling chemo fog and inflammation. She breaks down the science behind food as medicine, why an anti-inflammatory, high-fiber diet can change outcomes for cancer patients, and what it actually looks like to cook healing food at a clinical level.

What you'll learn:

- How diet directly impacts cancer recovery and gut health

- What the MIND study is testing with breast cancer survivors

- Why an anti-inflammatory diet matters more during treatment than most people realize

- How to make cancer-fighting foods accessible and affordable at home

Whether you're a cancer survivor, a caregiver, or just someone who believes food is medicine — this conversation will change the way you think about what's on your plate.

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of pounds of fresh produce were about to rot in farmers' fields — because the restaurants that bought them had shut down overnight. Then Publix spent $10 million to change that. And they never stopped. That has helped feed thousands of people, through their partnership with the Feeding Tampa Bay food bank. It’s part of their combined efforts to end hunger.

In this episode of Stick a Fork In It, we sit down with Brian West, Community Relations Manager at Publix, to hear the story behind one of Tampa Bay's most powerful community partnerships. As of May 2024, Publix has donated over 100 million pounds of produce to families in need — and Brian shares what drives a company that large to keep giving.

From their founder's legacy to the moment a child cried happy tears over a carton of milk, this conversation will remind you why community partnerships matter — and how ordinary people inside big companies make extraordinary things happen

In this episode:

• The behind-the-scenes story of how a $10 million food rescue started in 2020

• Why produce was rotting in fields while families went hungry — and how supply chains failed everyone

• The "Cereal for Summer" program and how it reaches kids across multiple counties

• Brian's message to any nonprofit: "Don't be afraid to ask. The worst I can say is no."

• How Publix's commitment to giving goes all the way back to founder George Jenkins in 1930

Publix and Feeding Tampa Bay have been partners since 2009. This is what that partnership looks like from the inside.

If you care about hunger in our community — or you've ever wondered whether big companies can really make a difference — this episode is for you.