As grocery prices rise, Pastor Dale Broom of Wings of Faith in Ocala is leading a community effort in Marion County to distribute thousands of pounds of food weekly to families in need.“There’s quite a few people in line receiving a whole lot of free food today,” Broom said.The program, supported by Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and the Southeastern Youth Fair, provides fresh produce, pantry staples and locally donated ground beef.“For us, we choose to do food, it’s just the place we ended up. We’ve got the right connections, right partners,” Broom said.“This is a little bit unique though because we have some beef that was raised by the Southeastern Youth Fair and was processed with Farmers Feeding Florida dollars,” he added.The Southeastern Youth Fair donated three steers valued at about $20,000 to help families in need. The meat was processed by Fort McCoy Meat into more than 1,000 one-pound packages as part of the Farmers Feeding Florida program, which turns local agriculture into real help for families struggling with rising costs.“Last month we did over 3,000 families,” Broom said.Broom’s efforts have earned recognition from community partners.“Dale is a great example of the type we need in this community, somebody who is always going to step up and help neighbors, and we are very proud to partner with him,” said Stephanie Palacios with Second Harvest Food Bank.Since last summer, the program has delivered more than 6.5 million pounds of Florida-grown food across the region. Organizers say the impact goes beyond the numbers.“The joy that is found in serving somebody else and being a good neighbor, a blessing to somebody else, it just makes it all worthwhile. Four o’clock will come tomorrow morning, we’ll get up and do it somewhere else,” Broom said.On one recent day, volunteers distributed over 40,000 pounds of free food to 504 families. Broom says his mission is about showing up, lending a hand and ensuring no one in the community feels forgotten. That’s why he and Wings of Faith are being recognized as community champions.

MARION COUNTY, Fla. —

As grocery prices rise, Pastor Dale Broom of Wings of Faith in Ocala is leading a community effort in Marion County to distribute thousands of pounds of food weekly to families in need.

“There’s quite a few people in line receiving a whole lot of free food today,” Broom said.

The program, supported by Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and the Southeastern Youth Fair, provides fresh produce, pantry staples and locally donated ground beef.

“For us, we choose to do food, it’s just the place we ended up. We’ve got the right connections, right partners,” Broom said.

“This is a little bit unique though because we have some beef that was raised by the Southeastern Youth Fair and was processed with Farmers Feeding Florida dollars,” he added.

The Southeastern Youth Fair donated three steers valued at about $20,000 to help families in need. The meat was processed by Fort McCoy Meat into more than 1,000 one-pound packages as part of the Farmers Feeding Florida program, which turns local agriculture into real help for families struggling with rising costs.

“Last month we did over 3,000 families,” Broom said.

Broom’s efforts have earned recognition from community partners.

“Dale is a great example of the type we need in this community, somebody who is always going to step up and help neighbors, and we are very proud to partner with him,” said Stephanie Palacios with Second Harvest Food Bank.

Since last summer, the program has delivered more than 6.5 million pounds of Florida-grown food across the region. Organizers say the impact goes beyond the numbers.

“The joy that is found in serving somebody else and being a good neighbor, a blessing to somebody else, it just makes it all worthwhile. Four o’clock will come tomorrow morning, we’ll get up and do it somewhere else,” Broom said.

On one recent day, volunteers distributed over 40,000 pounds of free food to 504 families. Broom says his mission is about showing up, lending a hand and ensuring no one in the community feels forgotten.

That’s why he and Wings of Faith are being recognized as community champions.