Giving Tuesday: Picnic Project aiming to provide nutrient-dense foods

OH, SO MUCH FUN. WE’RE GOING TO CHECK IN WITH YOU SOON, BUT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOOD PANTRIES BECAUSE WE KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU HEAR THAT PHRASE OR YOU THINK OF IT, YOU MAY SEE CANS AND BOXES OF FOOD. BUT SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK MAKES SURE THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR ITS 625 PARTNER AGENCIES ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. OH, YEAH. THEY ALSO HAVE A FOCUS ON HEALTHY, FRESH FOOD AS WELL, WHICH GOES A LONG WAY WITH THE FOLKS AT THE PICNIC PROJECT. HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? WE CALL IT A FRIDAY FOODSHARE WOULD YOU LIKE ALL THE PRODUCE ITEMS TODAY? WE GOT BLUEBERRY. WE THINK LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT. DIGNITY IS IMPORTANT. ONIONS. WE’RE SHARING ABUNDANCE, FOLKS THAT COULD USE A LITTLE HELP SHOW UP. WE TURN NO ONE AWAY. IF YOU’RE HUNGRY, YOU’RE LEAVING WITH FOOD. HI. HEY, TRICIA. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? MARK? I’M GOOD. MY NAME IS PATRICIA JOHNSON. YOU WANT ALL THE VEGGIES, RIGHT? I DO. YES, SIR. I RELY ON IT. I REALLY DO. AND I KNOW A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY DOES AS WELL. RIGHT NOW I’M LOOKING FOR I’M REALLY LOOKING FOR A JOB. SO KNOWING I CAN COME HERE AND GET THE THINGS THAT THEY GIVE ME AND OTHER OTHER RESOURCES AS BAG ALL THE WAY, PLEASE. WE START WITH A BASE BAG THAT HAS FROZEN MEATS AND SOME PANTRY ITEMS. YOU LIKE ALL THE FRUITS AND VEGGIES TODAY. THEN THEY GET TO CHOOSE WHETHER THEY WANT TO ADD THIS FRESH PRODUCE. WE HAVE DRIED TART CHERRIES TODAY. THEY COULD ADD. WE HAVE BREAD AND SWEETS. THEY PROVIDE WHAT YOU’LL BE ABLE TO EAT FOR ABOUT A WEEK. IT’S A VERY GOOD FINANCIAL RELIEF, ESPECIALLY LEE FOR ME AS A SENIOR. THEY GIVE ME LIKE TWO MEATS AND THAT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM STEAKS. I’VE GOTTEN T-BONE STEAKS, RIBEYE STEAKS AGAIN. BACON, BACON, BACON, BACON. BECAUSE I LOVE BACON. IT’S A IT’S A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT THEY PROVIDING HERE. AND I LOVE IT. ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES IS COMMUNITY HEALTH AND REALLY PROVIDING A LOT OF NUTRIENT DENSE FOODS DURING THE PANDEMIC, CANNED FOOD PRICES WENT UP AND AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET FRESH PRODUCE MORE AFFORDABLY. AND IT’S BETTER AND MORE NUTRITIOUS AND MORE VERSATILE. SO WE KIND OF USE THAT THAT AS A CATALYST TO START DOING MORE FRESH PRODUCE, SOMETHING WE ALWAYS DID, BUT REALLY PUTTING AN EMPHASIS ON THAT, IT MAKES ME DO THIS. IT MAKES ME DO MY HAPPY DANCE AND I JUST I JUST FEEL GOOD. WE FOUND OUT THAT PEOPLE WERE SUPER RECEPTIVE. EVERYBODY LOVES THE PRODUCE SQUASH, ORANGE, BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND GREEN ACORN SQUASH. THEY DON’T INTRODUCE ME INTO A LOT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT I NORMALLY WOULD NOT EAT, BUT. BUT THE CHEF MARK, HE TEACHES YOU HOW TO COOK IT OR HOW TO FIX IT SO YOU CAN TAKE THAT BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PUT IT IN THE OVEN AT LIKE 353, 75, JUST TILL IT’S SOFT. WELL, I GREW UP AT WE DIDN’T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE KIND OF THINGS THEN. SO NOW TO HAVE ACCESS TO THEM, THAT BLOWS MY MIND. THANK YOU. YOU’LL DO FINE. IT’S SWEET. WE JUST REALLY VALUE THAT COMMUNITY ASPECT. HEY, BEAUTIFUL. IT HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS, BUT WE’VE BEEN HERE OVER 14 YEARS NOW. WE LITERALLY COULDN’T DO THIS WITHOUT TED NOAH HADAS. THEY ARE CONCERN ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. THEY REALLY ARE. AND I LOVE THAT. LOVE. YES, LOVE TO SEE THAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PICNIC PROJECT AND THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU END UP HELPING OUT WHEN YOU SUPPORT. SHARE YOUR CHRISTMAS AND THE SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK. WE ARE TAKING DONATIONS RIGHT NOW. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN. 407514 1099. YOU CAN ALSO HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE, WESH.COM. COMM THERE’S A SPECIAL CHALLENGE GOING ON RIGHT NOW. ANYBODY NAMED GREG WHO MAKES $1,000 DONATION RIGHT NOW, THERE’S ANOTHER GREG AT SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AT THE TELETHON. WHO WILL MATCH THAT DONATION FOR $1,000? LET’S SEE THAT HAPPEN. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO HAS DONATED SO FAR.