Where Love Grows

10/06/2026

The People Behind the Programs

Why volunteers, partners, donors, and community support are essential to everything Where Love Grows does.

When people see a Where Love Grows cooking class or Family Dinner Night, they usually see the finished moment.

Kids cooking. Families eating. Volunteers smiling. A room full of energy.

What they don’t always see is everything and everyone that made that moment possible.

Every event begins long before the first meal is served. Ingredients are purchased. Supplies are gathered. Tables are set. Volunteers arrive early. Schools open their doors. Community partners step in. Donors help make the next class possible.

That behind-the-scenes support is the foundation of our work.

Continue the rest of the article on our substack below.

https://substack.com//note/p-219038296?r=946d75

09/29/2026

At Where Love Grows, a cooking class is never just about what ends up on the table.
Put a group of kids around a table with a bowl, a few ingredients, a portable burner, and a recipe, and something interesting happens.
At first, there may be hesitation.
“Can I really do this?”
Then someone cracks an egg. Someone squeezes a tomato. Another student gets the job of stirring. Hands go into the bowl to roll meatballs. A pan starts to sizzle.
And little by little, hesitation turns into confidence.
By the end of class, the same child who wasn't sure they could cook is holding a plate of food they helped make and saying something we're fortunate enough to hear all the time:
“I made this!”
That moment is exactly why Where Love Grows created our cooking class program.
Because we're not simply teaching children how to follow recipes.
We're showing them what they're capable of.

Continue via link below and subscribe to our substack.

https://wherelovegrows.substack.com/p/cooking-classes-to-battle-childhood?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=946d75

09/18/2026

50,000 meals. More than 13 years of memories, families, volunteers, young chefs, and community.

What started with one Family Dinner Night in 2013 has grown into something we never could have imagined.

We just shared the story behind Where Love Grows reaching 50,000 meals served — where we started, how we grew, the people who helped us get here, and why this milestone means so much more than a number.

🍽️ Read the full story here: https://substack.com//note/p-216240771?r=946d75

Thank you to everyone who has helped love grow along the way. We’re proud of how far we’ve come — and even more excited for what’s next. 🩵

And the Love Behind Every One

07/10/2026

Join us for a special evening with Where Love Grows at Steinbrenner Field as we celebrate an incredible milestone in our journey of serving children and families.

🎟 FREE Tampa Tarpons game tickets
🍽 FREE meal voucher with every ticket
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Bring your family and friends!

Over the years, you've helped us grow a community built around love, food, and hope. We'd love for you to celebrate with us and be part of this unforgettable night.

📅 Wednesday, July 29
📍 Steinbrenner Field – Tampa, FL

https://am.ticketmaster.com/steinbrennerfield/promotional-page?id=MTI3Mw==

07/08/2026

What an incredible honor to see Where Love Grows featured on Great Day Live on Tampa Bay's Channel 10!

Our founder, Vicki Anzalone, joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay alongside one of our amazing young chefs, Lashannon, to showcase the impact of our cooking class program and the power of bringing kids together through food.

Watching Lashannon confidently share her experience was a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do. Our mission has never been just about teaching recipes—it's about building confidence, creating opportunities, and showing every child that they belong around the family table.

A heartfelt thank you to Great Day Live for helping us share our story and to our incredible partners at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay for believing in our mission. Together, we're changing lives one meal, one cooking class, and one young chef at a time.

06/23/2026

Shop with Purpose and Help Feed our Chefs!

We’re excited to share that Where Love Grows has been selected as a beneficiary of Mission Monday at Altar'd State Tampa location.

Every Monday through August 1st, 10% of net proceeds from purchases at the store will be donated to Where Love Grows to support our fight against childhood hunger in the Tampa Bay community.

Every meal we serve, every cooking class we teach, and every family we support is made possible through incredible community partnerships like this one.

So if you're looking for the perfect outfit, gift, or just an excuse to shop, stop by Altar'd State on a Monday and know that your purchase is helping put food on the table for local children and families.

Thank you to Altar'd State for believing in our mission and helping us grow love throughout our community.

06/09/2026

Eat a Great Sandwich. Help Feed a Child.

We're incredibly grateful to our friends at for supporting our mission to end childhood hunger.

For every "Kiera Sandwich" sold, $1 is donated to Where Love Grows to help provide meals, cooking classes, and opportunities for children and families in our community.

It's partnerships like these that remind us how powerful a community can be when we come together. A simple lunch order can help create a meaningful impact for a child in need.

So the next time you're at The Mustard Seed Deli, order a Kiera Sandwich and know that you're helping us continue to nourish hearts, bellies, and futures.

Thank you to The Mustard Seed Deli for believing in our mission and helping us grow one sandwich at a time.

06/06/2026

That’s a Wrap on Another Incredible School Year!

As students and teachers head into a well-deserved summer break, we're reflecting on an amazing year spent learning, cooking, and growing together.

This school year, Where Love Grows proudly:

Served 4,256 meals
Taught 357 young chefs through our mobile cooking classes
Hosted 39 events across the Tampa Bay community

From stirring sauces and building burgers to sharing meals and making memories, every classroom, cafeteria, and family table helped make this year special.

A huge thank you to our school partners, volunteers, teachers, staff, and families who welcomed us into their communities and helped make this impact possible.

Have a safe, fun, and relaxing summer! We can't wait to get back in the kitchen and around the table with you next school year.

Because when love grows, so does community.

05/26/2026

We love to hear how the funds we raise help those making a difference in our community ✨

Dear 100 Women Who Care South Tampa,

As a proud member of this wonderful organization and the founder of Where Love Grows, the recent recipient of your generosity, I would like to share our gratitude to all of you for seeing Where Love Grows's vision and choosing us as a recipient of your grant funds.

Your impact will allow us to purchase much-needed supplies to support our innovative Mobile Cooking Program this year, helping us empower the children most in need in our community. It truly takes a village, and we are grateful that you are a part of ours!

Please feel free to keep in touch. You are always welcome to join one of our many classes or family dinner nights! 💙

05/11/2026

Today we celebrate the women who lead with love, give endlessly, and hold families and communities together every single day.

To the moms, grandmothers, teachers, mentors, volunteers, and mother figures who pour their hearts into others we thank you. Your kindness, strength, and compassion help create the safe, loving spaces where children can grow, learn, and thrive.

At Where Love Grows, we see firsthand how powerful a mother’s love can be around the dinner table, in the classroom, and throughout the community.

Today, we celebrate you.