JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A massive turnout at a food giveaway Saturday on the Northside is reflective of the reality for Florida-based Farm Share and local community leaders: more families than ever are in need of food, especially in the Jacksonville area.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-profit has given out more than 30 million pounds of food in Northeast Florida. As the name implies, the organization gives out food from farms in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
At St. Patrick's Catholic Church Saturday morning, cars began lining up as early as 5:30 a.m. for the 8 a.m. giveaway. In total, around 450 families received food that included fresh produce, juice, milk and tea.
"It's amazing how many people are showing up today," said Father Liguori of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. "Families and elderly people, people from every class that need some food."
Organizers with Farm Share said the organization has given food to more than 500,000 households since March at a rate of 5.5 million pounds per month.
The need, they said, has jumped significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"What you put into the community is what you're going to get out of your community. No matter what your race is, what your creed is, that's what matters," said Abraham Hassan, owner of Junior's Seafood and one of the sponsors of the event.
You can find local food giveaways or donate to Farm Share here.
