TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Feeding Tampa Bay is one of the non-profit organizations that will benefit from WFLA News Channel 8’s Kindness Day this Friday.

They will be one of the five charities benefitting from WFLA News Channel 8’s 13th Annual Kindness Day.

This year, Feeding Tampa Bay has been seeing an increase in the number of Tampa Bay residents who are in need of food.

“Our numbers are up 35 to 40 percent over pre-pandemic so a better way to think about that is close to a million folks in your [WFLA’s] viewing area right now are food insecure. That’s a big number,” Feeding Tampa Bay President and CEO Thomas Mantz said.

Mantz also said the organization is looking for individuals to donate non-perishable food items, like canned food and pasta, for example.

You can drop off your donations this Friday during Kindness Day in our WFLA visitor parking lot.

“Every human being, the good things in life start around a table. Let’s first make sure there’s a nutritious meal on the table and from there let’s make sure we invest with, partner with and help everybody in our community who needs us,” Mantz said.

Join us Friday, Dec. 10 outside our studio at 200 South Parker Street from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. for Kindness Day.