New food pantry opens in South St. Pete

A community in South St. Pete is celebrating the addition of a much-needed neighborhood resource.

The Jordan Park Community Food Pantry officially opened Thursday afternoon. Nonprofit leaders, city officials and Jordan Park residents attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion. 

The Jordan Park community dates back to 1939 and is credited as the City of St. Petersburg’s first African American housing community, and the oldest federal housing project in Florida. Jordan Park was recently redeveloped by the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) in a $93 million renovation, creating 206 family housing units.

The new food pantry sits inside a former maintenance storage area at the back of the community’s clubhouse at the corner of Langdon Ave. S. and Jordan Park St. S. The food pantry soft-launched a few weeks ago, and an SPHA staffer said they have been serving nearly 100 people every Thursday when it opens for business.

“This food pantry represents more than just access to essential groceries; it symbolizes our commitment to creating opportunities for stronger communities,” said Michael Lundy, President and CEO of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority. “I would describe this community as a family who happens to live close to one another. A lot of people have known each other for quite some time. They lived in this community before we did the renovation and they’re back here after, so they consider themselves family.”

Jordan Park resident Janie Morris said she’s been spreading the word about the new food pantry to her neighbors, encouraging them to take advantage of the community resource.

Kiara Lovett, Director of Social Services for the St. Petersburg Housing Authority, said the idea first came from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast. Participants were looking for a way to give back as part of their after-school food program. After surveying the residents, Lovett realized the need was there and gave the nonprofit the green light to move forward. Now, a handful of teens volunteer every week, stocking, organizing and operating the food pantry.

“The pantry being on-site really eliminates a lot of barriers,” Lovett said. “It makes my heart warm, seeing the smiles on our residents’ faces and seeing the youth come through with their parents. It’s really rewarding.”

Other partners supporting the Jordan Park Community Food Pantry include St. Pete Free Clinic, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, Dole, Partnership for a Healthier America and the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation.

Corey Givens Jr., Council Member-elect for District 7 and a Jordan Park native, gave an impassioned speech at Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“For far too long, Jordan Park was overlooked, overshadowed and ignored. I am elated to see this making a positive impact here,” Givens said. “It is unfair and unethical for more than 20,000 residents – more than 5,000 children – to live without access to quality, healthy, nutritious food. It is wrong for parents to have to work two and three jobs just to put food on their table for their children, and it is not right for our seniors to go to bed hungry. I promise that as a partner of yours on the St. Pete City Council, we will do all we can to keep this pantry full.”

Lovett said that in addition to serving the residents of Jordan Park, the food pantry has opened its doors to those living in the neighboring communities, as well. The Jordan Park Community Food Pantry is open every Thursday from 3-5 p.m.

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