ST. PETERSBURG — Positive Impact Worldwide, a locally-based non-profit organization, is no stranger to St. Pete. It has provided food and other life essentials and educational programs since 2003.
Founders Jay and Kara’lynne Brubaker’s charitable work embodies the local community. Their heart to serve all people is evident in their educational, workforce development, health equity and other outreach programs.
These programs can be found in their partnership with Pinellas Technical College’s Culinary Arts department’s chef training program, as well as their partnership with Metropolitan Ministries and Feeding Tampa Bay organizations that distribute thousands of meals and food products to individuals at no cost.
Also, their partnerships with faith-based organizations such as Positive Impact Church provide spiritual and mental health guidance to improve the quality of life of residents in St. Petersburg. Other notable projects to their credit include the upcoming Positive Impact Learning Academy for special needs children.
The resounding public influence of Positive Impact Worldwide’s programs and services has captured city officials’ attention. Mayor Rick Kriseman presented a Key to the City of St. Petersburg to Kara’lynne Brubaker for her humanitarian efforts.
Additionally, Jay and Kara’lynne Brubaker were recipients of the prestigious 2017 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award, which is presented to a humanitarian within the community who embodies and exemplifies the characteristics promoted by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—”a vision of peace, persistence in purpose, and inspirational action.”
Positive Impact Worldwide has an exciting vision and plans for Tangerine Plaza located in the Deuces area that will extend its reach and impact lives within the city, especially those on the south side.
This vision — Positive Impact & Beyond — will be a multi-use complex design that will convert the existing 40,000-square foot building that formerly housed the Walmart in Tangerine Plaza.
The space will be a culinary arts center/teaching kitchen, food bank/warehouse, administrative office suite and small food pantry. It will also house various small business enterprises such as Fab 5 Global, whose mission is to help individuals regain control of their lives by providing life planning and organizational programs.
Additionally, the Positive Impact & Beyond Center will have the latest technology tools to use for various social media platforms needed for communication, teaching and entertainment.
The culinary arts center and teaching kitchen will include classes and unique cooking experiences to nourish minds, hearts and bodies. Classes will be led by Master Chef Lennox Preudomme, a resource consultant for the center.
These classes will collaborate on lively, interactive cooking lessons, emphasizing culinary skills, hands-on learning, nutrition lessons, chef demonstrations, farmer’s market activities and farm-to-table dinners.
The teaching kitchen will also serve as a community health outreach for area hospitals and wellness centers to address health disparities in their patients. Relationships and collaborations will be formed with area hospitals and health insurance companies so their patients can receive health information and classes that promote healthy cooking.
The culinary arts center will also have a 500-seat capacity venue for area groups to host various events, such as small banquets, weddings, and conferences. These events will be able to commission the culinary staff to provide food and other needed services for the occasions.
Other approved area caterers will be encouraged to vie for business opportunities and marketability in the new venue as well.
Another part of the Positive Impact & Beyond complex is the food bank and pantry. The food bank/warehouse and pantry will be located behind the culinary arts center. In order to get the food into the hands of the community, the food bank/warehouse will safely store millions of pounds of food that will be delivered to local food programs.
The food bank will function as food storage and distribution depots for smaller front-line agencies. Additionally, the food bank will distribute food through a network of partner agencies, such as food pantries, churches and civic organizations.
The food bank/warehouse donates food to these agencies; in return, they pay a per pound fee to support the food bank/warehouse’s existence.
Positive Impact Worldwide’s plan for Tangerine Plaza will stimulate the local economy by creating quality jobs and driving traffic into the 22nd Street Corridor, which will benefit all local businesses.
The focus of Positive Impact Worldwide’s robust plan for Tangerine Plaza is to promote growth, transform lives, and see people thrive due to their educational, workforce development, health equity and other programs!
This is our vision for the Tangerine Plaza! Will you make it yours?
