JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It is easy to go to a fast food restaurant for a quick meal. However, Marie Heath and Missy Peters believe a meal should also be nutritious and accessible. Once a month, volunteers with the Schell-Sweet Resource Center, Community First Cares Foundation and Feeding North East Florida team up for a food drive. The food is distributed in Jacksonville's Urban Core and surrounding communities.
"We give them access to fresh fruit and vegetables," Peters said.
The community near Edward Waters University, also known as New Town, has its challenges with food insecurities. Peters says they are dealing with a food desert. For some people, the nearest grocery store is more than three miles away. To Heath, they have a long ways to go to turn a desert into an oasis.
"But one of the things we want to do is make an impact on a monthly basis," Heath said. "To know that we are providing a service to support the wellness and food security of our families, it motivates me to come in everyday."
Despite what seems at times, an uphill challenge, volunteers are holding onto optimism. They believe the fruits of their labor is growing; feeding families one bag at a time. Heath said the Schell-Sweet Resource Center is always looking for volunteers to get involved.
The food drive is February 10 and the event is co-sponsored by Florida Blue.