TAMPA — Going to the Super Bowl is only one piece of Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas’ trip to the Super Bowl. He arrived in Tampa Thursday, ahead of Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He told 41 Action News he met with Tampa Police Department leaders Thursday afternoon to discuss how the city works to prevent violent crime. Friday afternoon, the mayor visited Tampa Family Health Centers.
The center provides health services on the community level, similar to Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center and Swope Health in Kansas City.
“I grew up going to facilities like this one. This is in many ways like a homecoming for me even though I’ve never been to Tampa before. Seeing these doctors, seeing their passion and their energy so long into the pandemic,” Lucas explained why he wanted to support the local healthcare workers.
He added there is a lot to learn from how other healthcare providers address challenges.
“They [Tampa Family Health Centers] are still reaching out to patients, particularly those with language barriers, anything of the sort, that might make it harder to get signed up for the vaccine, get access to it. I think there is much to be learned from Tampa Health and we’ll be sure to take all of those back to Kansas City,” Lucas pointed out.
He came to the outdoor meeting with Tampa Health bearing gifts. He passed out masks, gators and pins from Charlie Hustle with the classic “KC heart” logo.