NaturZone donates $10K to Feeding Tampa Bay

In November, Sarasota, Fla.-based NaturZone Pest Control donated $10,000 for the third consecutive year to Feeding Tampa Bay, a local organization whose goal is for the city to be hunger-free by 2025. Its mission is to not only distribute food, but to train and develop skills for individuals with barriers to employment. Its FRESHforce program offers participants three job tracks: culinary school, logistics training and truck driving: “We endeavor to move people beyond the vicious cycle of hunger, educating them and offering skills they need to unlock their path to self-sufficiency.”

“We want to give back to those in need, and our partnership with Feeding Tampa Bay seemed like the perfect fit,” NaturZone Managing Partner Andrew Longfellow said in a news release. “We are impressed that 98 cents of every dollar donated goes to helping those in need. And between recovering from the pandemic and Hurricane Ian, people are in more need than ever.”

NaturZone President Doug Longfellow agrees, telling Pest Management Professional, “Our main motivation for picking this charity is that nothing is more fundamental that feeding people. We appreciate that FTB also has programs to help with the underlying issues with food insecurity, such as job training, mental health help and other programs to lift people out of poverty. More than anything, though, we donate because we have been blessed and it is the right thing to do.”

NaturZone had a record-breaking year of revenue, the news release states. Initiatives like participating as a partner with Feeding Tampa Bay also provides another benefit: Employees are proud to work at a company that helps others.

“One thing NaturZone tries to do is give back to the community that’s helped build us and help our clients when they need it,” said Dee Smith, marketing and account manager for the company. “That’s the family way… we treat you like family, not just another number.”