TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – With the holidays quickly approaching, 1,500 families got free groceries Saturday with community support led by Second Harvest of the Big Bend.
Attendee Oscar Williams said he was grateful for the event.
“Times are tough, so we just came about 40 miles, got up early, and got over here in line,” Williams said. He drove from South Georgia to get the boxes of groceries at Governor’s Square Mall. “Relieve some stress from us and make the holidays happier.”
Second Harvest of the Big Bend CEO Monique Ellsworth said people were in line as early as 9 p.m. Friday. The distribution officially kicked off at 7 a.m. Saturday. Ellsworth said hundreds of cars were lined up well before sunrise to get the groceries.
“We know that the need is huge,” Ellsworth said. “The pressure on families is greater right now than it is all year long.”
Also waiting in the line was Candy Crenshaw. “It’s amazing,” she said. “It’s definitely going to help me get through the winter break for my kids.”
Ellsworth said this time can be challenging because kids are not getting their daily meals at school during winter break.
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“Their breakfast and lunch that is usually taken care of by the school system isn’t available, so parents are buying extra just to care for their children during the holidays,” Ellsworth said.
“These drives are so important because even though some families don’t qualify for food stamps because they make too much, doesn’t mean we don’t need it,” Crenshaw said.
It took just more than two hours to serve the 1,500 families. People received whole hams, milk, eggs, produce and non-perishable food items.
Several volunteers from WCTV were also in attendance to help distribute food to families. Part of Saturday’s event was made possible from community donations during WCTV’s annual Kindness Day.
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