On Tuesday, November 24 at 4:30 p.m., the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive line and Publix Super Markets will provide Thanksgiving meals for those less fortunate at the 14th Annual "Turkey Time with the O-Line Supported by Publix."
A holiday tradition for the Buccaneers' offensive line, this year's food distribution effort will be the group's largest to date, providing more than 1,100 meals for local families thanks to over $40,000 in donations from the team's offensive line and coaches.
During the event – which will be held at Raymond James Stadium's Publix Lot 14 between the stadium and the team's AdventHealth Training Center – more than 75 Buccaneers staff members, Buccaneers Cheerleaders and Captain Fear will distribute meals to families who were pre-selected by United Way Suncoast and local nonprofit organizations. Volunteers will wear masks and gloves while adhering to health and safety guidelines.
Buccaneers player participation this year will be virtual – a special video message and holiday card will be shared with each of the families from offensive linemen Alex Cappa, Joe Haeg, Ryan Jensen, Nick Leverett, Ali Marpet, John Molchon, Donovan Smith, A.Q. Shipley, Aaron Stinnie, Josh Wells, and Tristan Wirfs, as well as Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator Harold Goodwin and Offensive Line Coach Joe Gilbert.
To kick off the event, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation Social Justice Fund will present a matching grant of $41,000 to the nonprofit organization Feeding Tampa Bay. This is the team's third consecutive year collaborating with Feeding Tampa Bay for the holiday initiative. The matching donation will be mobilized through school pantries, mobile pantries and with Feeding Tampa Bay's more than 550 agency pantries to help provide meals to community members in need this holiday season.
On Tuesday, families will receive a full meal purchased by the Buccaneers' offensive line, with contributions from Publix, including $23,000 in Publix gift cards – a $20 gift card for each family. These hearty meals include one 12-16-pound turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, vegetables, stuffing and pie, along with Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes donated by General Mills and King's Hawaiian Rolls donated by King's Hawaiian. The families will also receive Thanksgiving kits in reusable shopping bags, including a foil roaster and storage container.
Contact Allen Barrett at abarrett@buccaneers.nfl.com for player interview requests.
Contact Chris King at cking@buccaneers.nfl.com for on-site b-roll and interview opportunities with staff and families.
See below for details:
*What: *14th Annual "Turkey Time with the O-Line"
Who: Buccaneers Staff, Cheerleaders, Captain Fear and more than 1,100 underserved families
*Participating families have been pre-selected by local nonprofit organizations
Where: AdventHealth Training Center
3302 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33607
*Media enter by main entrance and park in Lot 15 (to the right before the guard booth)
*Media required to wear a mask, stop at Staff Check-In Tent and complete mobile health assessment
*When: *Tuesday, November 24
4:30 p.m. – Grant presentation to Feeding Tampa Bay
4:35 p.m. – Meal distribution begins
6:30 p.m. – Event conclusion
Tuesday's Thanksgiving event is carrying on the tradition launched in 2007 as a way for the Buccaneers offensive line to make a major impact in the Tampa Bay community during the holidays. Following Tuesday's distribution, the annual effort will have provided over 10,500 underserved families with Thanksgiving meals.
Contact: Allen Barrett
Senior Manager of Community Public Relations
813.767.9862
