Wedding venue in Blue Ridge, GA for couples in St. Petersburg, FL

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See below for #ChefsForFlorida free meal distribution sites in the wake of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. This list was last updated for locations available on Saturday, October 19.

Boca Grande

Gasparilla Inn

500 Palm Avenue

Boca Grande, FL 33921

Starting 11AM

Cyrus Green Center

2101 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

Tampa, FL 33610

Starting 11AM

Fort Myers Beach

FMB Strong Parking Lot

820 Buttonwood Dr

Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931

Starting 11AM

Manasota Key

Waverly Restaurant

2095 N Beach Rd

Englewood, FL 34223

Starting 11AM

Crosspoint Church

404 W Green St

Englewood, FL 34223

Starting 12PM

Gulfport Senior Center

5501 27th Ave S

Gulfport, FL 33707

Starting 12PM

Alice Hall Community Center

38116 5th Ave

Zephyrhills, FL 33542

Starting 12PM

Wimauma Club at Bethune Park

5809 Edina Street

Wimauma Florida 33598

Starting 1PM

Dade City

St. Rita Catholic Church

14404 14th Street

Dade City, FL 33523

Starting 12PM

Fort Pierce Community

5214 Turnpike Feeder Rd

Fort Pierce, FL 34951

Starting 12PM

Frank H Pierce Recreation Center

2000 7th St S

St. Petersburg, FL 33705

Starting 12PM

Grove City

2680 Placida Rd

Englewood, 34224

Starting 12PM

Lake Vista Recreation Center

1401 62nd Ave S

St. Petersburg, FL 33705

Starting 12PM

Rock of Jesus Missionary Baptist Church

3940 18th Ave S

Saint Petersburg, FL 33712

Starting 12PM

Madeira Beach

CVS Parking Lot

15129 Madeira Way

Madeira Beach, FL 33708

Starting 12PM

Punta Gorda Botanical Gardens

5827 Riverside Dr

Punta Gorda, FL 33982

Starting 12PM

Sanibel Community Center

2173 Periwinkle Way

Sanibel, FL 33957

Starting 12PM

Treasure Island Beach / Johns Pass

12962 Gulf Blvd

Madeira, FL 33708

Starting 12PM

Vision Ace Hardware - Wauchula

218 E Oak St

Wauchula, FL 33873

Starting 12PM

The Funk - Tarpon Springs

1208 N Pinellas Ave Unit 1254

Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Starting 12:30PM

Harvest Hope Park

13704 N 20th St.

Tampa, FL 33613

Starting 1:30PM

Willis S. Johns Recreation Center

6635 MLK Jr Drive N

St. Petersburg, FL 33702

Starting 2PM

Coconut Island Market (Palms Community)

7573 Raymary St

Bokeelia, FL 33922

Starting 4PM

Help us support families recovering from Hurricane Milton.

After years of setbacks, a Pennsylvania-based brewpub is days away from opening in downtown St. Pete

The punk rock-themed Voodoo Brewing Co. will serve high-quality craft beers, seltzers, cocktails, and pub fare when the doors open this Saturday, October 26th at 220 4th Street North.

The 7,300-square-foot building, which formerly housed Orange Blossom Catering, is owned by St. Petersburg Hollander Hotel owner Michael Andoniades.

Voodoo Brewing was expected to open its St. Pete outpost in 2022; however, due to larger-than-expected buildout costs, the original franchisee backed out. That’s when Bob Skepnek took the reins.

The first floor will be a standard Voodoo Brewing operation with a long bar and plenty of seating while the second floor will be a VIP balcony and lounge area filled with retro pinball machines, a pool table, and other games.

“Voodoo’s style is a little bit weird, a little bit funky, dark,” Skepnek said in a video promoting the upcoming grand debut of the brewery. “If you’re asking me what makes the Voodoo culture really special, it’s really community focused, but in a punk rock way.”

The new brewery will offer the company's in-house beers and hand-crafted seltzers along with local and national beers with various styled IPAs, ales, and stouts.

“What makes Voodoo unique is the fact that we are developing and creating beers with leading styles and recipes in the craft beer sector,” he said. “We serve everything from light to dark, to hoppy, to blonde, and everything in between.”

Founded in 2005 in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Voodoo Brewing opened its first taproom in 2012 and has since expanded its production and brewery footprint.

Today, there are two Voodoo Brewing locations in Florida — Fort Myers and Jacksonville. In March, the company announced a brewpub would be coming soon to Valrico.

In St. Pete, the full kitchen will have a hearty menu and pump out elevated bar grub such as the Voo-Dill Pickle Pizza, a giant pub pretzel with beer cheese, the Bacon Blue Burger, the Bang-Bang Chicken Sandwich, and much more.

A grand opening celebration will be held on October 26th. Skepnek originally planned to host a grand opening on October 11th; however, it was rescheduled due to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

Follow Voodoo Brewing Co. St. Pete on Facebook for the latest drink and food specials.

St. Pete Food Not Bombs continues to feed and collect resources for survivors of Hurricanes Helene, Milton and Oscar in FL, NC and Cuba.

Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff

|Updated Wed, Oct 23, 2024 at 12:59 pm ET

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Having lived through Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi native Liz Edmonds knew exactly what the Tampa Bay area was in for as Hurricane Milton barreled across the Gulf toward Florida’s west coast earlier this month.

“I’d been hit by a Category 3 and I know no one around here has, but I knew what was coming,” she told Patch.

As an organizer with St. Pete Food Not Bombs, a grassroots mutual aid group that feeds the community three times a week, Edmonds and her co-organizers offered money to help people evacuate from the storm.

“We had a few hundred bucks in our little Venmo and we said, ‘If you need gas money, get the hell out of here,’” Edmonds said.

Since then, she’s been on the ground collecting and bringing needed resources to survivors of three recent major hurricanes — Helene, Milton and Oscar.

Find out what's happening in St. Petewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“It’s just been crisis after crisis,” she told Patch.

Ahead of Milton, Edmonds evacuated to Georgia and then decided to spend some time in Mississippi until power was restored at her St. Petersburg home.

“Then I said, ‘(expletive) it, I’m going to North Carolina,’ and I packed up my truck,” Edmonds said. “I asked people to look in their closets and get me a jacket, get me a clean blanket. And I drove to North Carolina. I got as high up the mountain as I possibly could.”

She brought 10 trash bags of clothing to western North Carolina, which was ravaged by Hurricane Helene in surprise flash flooding that decimated communities as it moved north out of Florida and left more than 240 people dead during its trek. Nearly 100 people remain missing in the mountains.

“You see the images, but to see it in person and see people sleeping in tents by the street because they have no homes, they just have land, they have no power, water, it’s destruction like I’ve never seen in my life, and it’s horrific,” she said. “I even saw a double-wide trailer wrapped around a tree up in the mountains.”

Edmonds quickly realized these mountain communities were inundated by donations that they didn’t have the manpower to sort and distribute.

“There were mountains of diapers, mountains of water, and when I say, mountains of clothes, I saw a parking lot with a mountain of clothes and nobody was even around, and now it’s getting rained on,” she said, adding, “They need labor. They need hands. People to sort through the donations.”

Once she returned to Florida, she immediately got to work again in Pinellas County, which was reeling after back-to-back hits by Helene and Milton.

Food Not Bombs continued feeding the community and also set up in some of the hardest-hit areas. The group continues to work with other mutual aid organizations in the region, which all offer different services and assistance.

“We have our hands in the community and wherever we can, we jump in and help people,” Edmonds said. “We have another mutual aid group that cuts trees down. If you need a tree cut down, we connect you with them. Food is our main goal and to get people the resources they need.”

Now, she’s shifted her focus to Cuba, which was recently hit by Hurricane Oscar. The country’s power grid collapsed even before the Category 1 storm made landfall.

She’s been making independent aid runs to Cuba since 2020 bringing supplies to its residents, who often don’t have access to basic necessities, she said.

She’s collecting donated medicine, hygiene items, food, power banks and rechargeable light sources that volunteers will fly down to Cuba Friday morning.

Those interested in donating items ahead of the trip can order from the group’s Amazon Wish List or reach out to St. Pete Food Not Bombs on Instagram.

Edmonds has made several friends in the country in recent years and she’s appalled to learn about the conditions in which they live.

“The country sends their doctors to everywhere else, yet their citizens are dying because of lack of medical care,” she said. “They don’t have medicines and their small amount of food reserves are going away. They don’t have coffee; it’s Cuba and it doesn’t even have coffee.”

She hopes to start making monthly trips to the country with supplies.

Cuba is often a divisive issue for people who focus solely on the country’s politics, but she hopes donors and volunteers can overlook that.

“Everybody is so divided by it and it shouldn’t be that way,” Edmonds said. “Everyone is super divided and I’d love to reset that mentality from both sides. Maybe the government wasn’t the best. Maybe everybody has a point here. But we need to help these people. It’s a humanitarian issue.”

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SHORE ACRES, Fla. - The city of Saint Petersburg touted a "significant milestone" on Monday, reporting that crews had collected more than 100,000 cubic yards of debris following the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. But residents in the flood-prone Shore Acres neighborhood are expressing frustration and doubt about the process.

During a Shore Acres Civic Association meeting Monday evening, President Kevin Batdorf told FOX 13 News, "In my opinion, I believe the city should be more prepared than they are, especially for an event like (Helene or Milton). This is ridiculous."

As in many areas across the region, large piles of damaged furniture and other household items line the streets of Shore Acres.

Batdorf cited the amount of time that had passed since Hurricane Helene battered his neighborhood in late September.

PREVIOUS: Homes in Shore Acres destroyed by Hurricane Helene, flood-prone neighborhood getting first look at damage

"There were issues, some severe issues, like (city leaders) weren't communicating well with the county," he said. "The dump was closed. They didn't have an alternative site to dump debris."

St. Petersburg has launched a new interactive debris collection map, "providing residents with real-time updates on cleanup progress across the city," according to a Monday news release from the city.

However, when asked whether he'd used the map, Batdorf said he had tried to open the tool with limited success.

"It's hard to understand what it is," Batdorf shared. "If the dots on the map are indicating where debris has been collected, it's inaccurate."

PREVIOUS: Shore Acres residents dealing with devastation from Helene: 'It's overwhelming'

While FOX 13 works to obtain a response to the complaints, the city's release said St. Petersburg uses a "systematic plan to remove storm debris city-wide that's time-tested with previous storms. Using the city's Sanitation Zones map as a guide, crews start in the northwest corner of each zone and work their way across to ensure proper coverage of the entire city. Crews are also focusing on the city's coastal areas."

The city said it had contracted with debris removal company Crowder Gulf to collect debris citywide.

"More than 60 city trucks and 60-plus Crowder Gulf debris trucks are currently working actively throughout St. Pete, operating seven days a week, until the cleanup is complete. This combined approach has expedited the process, ensuring that St. Petersburg's neighborhoods are cleared safely and efficiently."

READ: ‘Heartless’ thief steals $325K debris removal truck from Kansas City crew cleaning up after Hurricane Milton

The release went on to explain that the new debris collection map offers "an easy-to-use interface where residents can view the areas where debris has already been cleared. The map will be updated in real-time to ensure transparency and keep the community informed on the city's cleanup efforts."

The city said it is working to complete the massive debris clean-up within 90 days.

In a statement to FOX 13's Matthew McClellan the city said:

"The City began actively working on debris collection immediately following Hurricanes Helene (on 10/2) and Milton (on 10/11). The City is actively working to tackle an unprecendented amount of storm-related debris. The City has pursued debris collection through a few different avenues, including city wide sweeps, debris management sites, and the Hometown Haulers program. Recently, the City launched an interactive Debris Collection Map to provide residents with real-time updates on cleanup progress across the city. This tool comes as the City reaches a significant milestone - collecting more than 100,000 cubic yards of debris following the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton (as of 10/22, nearly 135,000 cubic yards). More information and a link to the dashboard are available in the City’s dashboard announcement - https://www.stpete.org/news_detail_T30_R1224.php. We thank you for the work you’ve been doing to share this tool with your viewers.

We know from experience that residents and their families are eager to return to normal daily life after major storm events. Residents can expect to see city crews cleaning up parks and a combination of city crews, contracted workers, and private haulers picking up debris citywide. However, the City is committed to completing the massive debris clean-up within 90 days. We will continue working with local, state and federal partners to ensure debris is collected as quickly as possible. For your reference, additional information on the debris collection process is available at StPete.org/Debris."

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The Phoenix, Arizona-based gym franchise EoS Fitness is expanding its footprint with its first St. Pete location.

EoS Fitness, a low-cost gym known for its smart technology and high-end amenities, will replace the old Bealls department store, which closed in July, at 2830 54th Avenue South just outside the city’s Skyway Marina District.

The 39,600-square-foot gym will join other tenants at the Seville Square shopping plaza such as Publix, Bank of America, and Truist.

Bealls was one of the original anchor tenants at Seville Square when the plaza was built in 1988. The Publix, located on the west side of the plaza, was originally an Albertsons when the building was constructed in 1976, pre-dating the rest of the shopping center by 12 years.

The plaza is owned by Tampa-based RMC Property Group, one of Florida's largest full-service real estate companies.

The newest EoS Fitness gyms are equipped with EoS Smart Strength Equipment, a seven-piece smart-technology line that personalizes workout levels and goals for individual members.

The gyms also feature “The Yard," a green turf training area, and the "MOVEoS Cinema," a theater room where people can watch movies while doing cardio workouts.

The gyms also offer an indoor basketball court, an indoor pool and hot tub, saunas, and a fully-equipped recovery room with massage chairs.

EoS Fitness has in-house certified personal trainers as well as strength training, cycling, dancing, yoga, pilates, and water aerobics classes.

Various EoS Fitness gyms have a Kids' Club, an area for children (from 6 months old to age 12) to play and relax while parents work out. The Kids' Club has jungle gyms, miniature basketball courts, and little movie theaters.

The St. Pete gym is expected to debut in 2026, according to the company’s website.

The entrance to the St. Pete market is part of the franchise's plan to open more than a dozen new locations throughout Florida over the next two years.

Today, EoS Fitness has over 100 locations with 23 existing Florida gyms, including several in Tampa Bay.

EoS Fitness is open 24 hours a day. Monthly memberships start at $9.99 along with an annual membership of $49.99.

Follow EoS Fitness on Facebook and Instagram for the latest gym openings and offerings.