1 in 5 kids in Northeast Florida experience food insecurity, per Feeding Northeast Florida.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — More than 2,500 hot meals have been donated to kids in one First Coast Community as part of a summer feeding program that’s inspiring others to give back.
The Food Doctor food truck sits at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and 20th Street in Jacksonville.
“[The owner] doesn’t realize how many lives she’s saving in this community,” said Catherine Wortherly.
This story continues below.
“Kids can eat… And with it being the summertime, it’s a wonderful help,” said Keyana Snow.
“I want to thank them for doing what they’re doing because they didn’t have to,” said Diamond Creech.
Although the food truck starts serving at Noon, most days, there’s already a line by 11:30 a.m. The clientele, mostly kids, showing up to get a free hot meal as part of the ‘summer on the block’ program owner Tyrica Moore started in June. At first they were serving about 60 kids a day.
“Now we’re averaging anywhere from 150 to 205 a day,” said Moore. “I knew this area is a bit of a food desert so there’s food challenges. Especially, good healthier food options, but it is quite shocking to see how some of the children really depend on this meal every day.”
The menu includes cheeseburgers and fries, shrimp and wings. All made to order. The kids get to choose what they want from the tickets posted on the window. Each ticket representing a donated meal from community members like like Gigi Stramm.
“We heard about it on social media and decided we wanted to support her mission this summer so we’re here getting some lunch and making a donation to help feed other kids,” said Stramm.
The word has even spread across the world.
“We’ve had people donate form the UK and Canada, so it shows that when you come together, you can make anything happen despite the challenges happening today,” said Moore.
One of those challenges: Keeping kids fed. Feeding Northeast Florida reports one in five kids are experiencing food insecurity in the area. That’s tens of thousands of kids wondering where their next meal is coming from over the summer. The Food Doctor food truck is just one resource easing the burden for some parents as the next school year approaches. Helping people like Catherine Wortherly raising four of her grandkids.
“I have to worry about school clothes, shoes, they all outgrow everything. The money I’d be spending on food at Walmart, I’m going to take that money and get school supplies, this is an amazing help,” said Wortherly.
The Food Doctor food truck is encouraging others to give back.
“Continue the love, continue the unity… Be creative and support the community,” said Moore.
The food doctor plans to continue the free summer feeding program Tuesday through Friday afternoon through the first week before school starts.
There are other resources across the First Coast to help feed kids over the summer, like the Summer BreakSpot program.
Dozens of community centers, churches and schools are offering free lunches and snacks for kids. Summerbreakspot.org has a search function showing locations near you offering no-cost meals and snacks for kids and teens 18 years old and younger.
Feeding Northeast Florida has a ‘find food now’ function that provides a list of food pantries on its website that offer assistance for families across the First Coast.