At last week’s Tampa !p Advisory Board meeting, members shared updates on how their organizations are coping with the COVID-19 crisis and rising to the challenge through innovation and ingenuity. The following is a summary of those efforts:
- Hillsborough County has set up a Stay Safe page on its web site with comprehensive information about Coronavirus. It includes details about the Safe-at-Home order, quarantine and isolation steps, details about closings and affected services, and even instructions for how to make your own masks. The county has also set up a phone line, (813) 272-5900, and web site for those with COVID-19 symptoms to call for information about free testing.
- The Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics Fab Lab (AMRoC) has off-site volunteers producing 200-300 protective face shields per week on about 50 3d printers. They are being delivered to hospitals, first-responders and other healthcare workers upon request. They are not medical-grade, so they must be cleaned frequently and replaced after a few uses. They can use donations of materials, funds, and volunteers to keep going. AMRoC has established a Consolidated for COVID site with details.
- USF has transitioned 48,000 students to remote learning in a two-week span. The university has announced funding for 14 COVID-19 related research projects. The Research Park is preparing site work and planning to begin building their new 120,000 square foot mixed-use laboratory building next month. Some aspects of the construction may be delayed, but they do not expect major impacts on that.
- Feeding Tampa Bay normally feeds 600,000 people in its 10 county region, but is currently feeding 900,000 due to the COVID-19 crisis. 21 schools are serving lunch and breakfast to students as Break Spots, and they have added grocery items for them to take home to families. Trinity Cafe and Uber Eats have partnered to deliver 8,500 hot meals per day to senior citizens. Mega pantries have been opened at HCC’s Dale Mabry Campus and Tropicana Field where 6,000 families are being served on Saturdays. Meanwhile, retail donation of food is down, so donations are crucial. A page on the Feeding Tampa Bay web site provides comprehensive details on their Coronavirus response.
- The West Wing Boutique Hotel and Quality Inn Hotel and Conference Center is assisting Hillsborough County with quarantine isolation for COVID-19 patients and first-responders. They are seeing major decreases in occupancy. They are looking into usage of sanitation guns and UV robots for future use in providing clean, safe accommodations.
- MOSI offers MOSI in Motion on Facebook every day at 1:30 p.m. EDT providing 90 minutes of entertaining science education on Facebook. Many schools have integrated into their curricula. Hillsborough County uses the easternmost building for emergency supply storage, so security has been stepped up by police to ensure that supplies are safe.
- Florida SBDC and Hillsborough County business consultants are available to assist small businesses prepare loan applications and with other post-disaster challenges at no-cost. Visit HCFLGov.net/FSBDC to request a phone or Skype appointment.
- Crossover Church has partnered with Feeding Tampa Bay to feed over 400 families on Fridays with a drive-thru grocery distribution. They have given Love Our City gift bags to Fuzzy’s Tacos to deliver to medical staff along with meals that they are giving them. They’ve also done laundry for families in need. Transition to on-line church services has been a success.
- Councilwoman Cheri Donahue and hundreds of Temple Terrace residents are sewing masks as part of the Mask Project of Tampa Bay – Northeast. The city has modified, but maintained, services. The redevelopment at 56th Street and Busch Boulevard broke ground just before the shutdown and it is still working.
- University Mall continues transformation into a community incubator. Institute of Applied Engineering is under construction and planning and zoning of the overall 100-acre site continues. A hotel, office building, and student housing project are all in design now.
- Florida Blue has established a bi-lingual mental health support line. For those who have lost health care coverage due to the crisis, the Affordable Care Act has options.
- Tampa TechHire is a resource for companies who need tech talent as the economy shifts back into gear.
- Synapse has established a web site where needs and available resources are posted.
- Tampa Family Health Centers‘ 15 centers are open and they are seeing walk-in patients and telemedicine patients. They are taking temperatures and monitoring staff regularly while offering COVID-19 testing for patients as needed.
- UACDC continues to deliver Prodigy Cultural Arts program through an on-line program along with art kits that have been provided to students. Steps for Success is continuing to serve clients through the crisis.
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