PORT ST. LUCIE — Hundreds of Port St. Lucie residents received food, water and essential household items during a community Resource Rally held Dec. 4 at the St. Lucie Public Schools District Office.
The event was hosted by Niagara Cares, the charitable arm of Niagara Bottling, in partnership with Feed the Children and St. Lucie Public Schools.
Volunteers from Niagara’s Jupiter facility and the school district helped distribute 400 family kits filled with shelf-stable food, cases of water, hygiene essentials, children’s toys and other resources. Each kit was designed to support a family of four.
Organizers said the distribution aims to address rising need in the region. More than 8 percent of Port St. Lucie residents live below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and escalating costs for food, fuel, housing and utilities continue to strain households.
Superintendent Dr. Jon R. Prince, Niagara Bottling Senior Plant Director Edward Fedorczyk, and Feed the Children Event Planning Manager Aaron Hazel delivered remarks before the distribution began. The rally ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., drawing steady lines of families seeking support.