Giving Tuesday: Seminole County school pantry supported by Second Harvest Food Bank and PTA

WE ARE HERE TO HELP. SO YOUR DONATIONS GO A VERY LONG WAY. GIVE A CALL, TALK TO THESE FOLKS. WE ARE HERE ALL DAY LONG TODAY BECAUSE WE WANT TO REACH OUR GOAL OF $300,000. WE’VE GOT A LIVE INTERVIEW COMING UP HERE, GUYS, IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. I’M GOING TO SEND THINGS BACK TO YOU RIGHT NOW. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. MAYOR GIVING TUESDAY KICKS OFF OUR SHARE YOUR CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN. AND WE REALLY WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE PEOPLE YOU’RE HELPING, MANY OF WHOM ARE JUST KIDS, SCHOOL LEADERS WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE FED AT STERLING PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. THEY HAVE A FOOD PANTRY WITH THE HELP OF SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AND THE PTA. AND ONCE A MONTH, THERE’S SOMETHING EXTRA THANKS TO SECOND HARVEST, FRESH MARKET PROGRAM. GOOD MORNING. YOU’RE GOOD, RIGHT THERE. WHEN THE TRUCK GETS HERE, THE DRIVER WILL HELP UNLOAD FOOD AND WE GET THESE HUGE PALLETS OF FRESH PRODUCE. I’M A PART OF THE PTA AND I COORDINATE THE FOOD PANTRY. OKAY, WE’VE GOT PINEAPPLE. WE RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, FOOD IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO HAVE MEALS AFTER THEY LEAVE SCHOOL. HOLY GUACAMOLE. I’M THE PTA PRESIDENT AND ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS FOR OUR PANTRY PROGRAM UNTIL SECOND HARVEST CAME AROUND. WE DIDN’T I DON’T THINK I’VE EVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT PASSING OUT PRODUCE. SO WE RECENTLY DUBBED IT EAGLE’S NEST MARKET. PARTNERING WITH SECOND HARVEST IS ABSOLUTELY A GAME CHANGER. THE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT WE’RE GETTING ARE AMAZING. THE NUTRIENTS THAT THEY NOW GET THAT THEY WERE NOT GETTING WITH JUST GETTING CANNED ITEMS AND BOXED ITEMS IS IS REALLY IMPERATIVE TO THEIR LEARNING, IMPERATIVE TO THEIR GROWING AND AN INSTRUMENTAL CHANGE HERE AT STERLING PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. LET ME PUT THE BUS ONES ON HERE. IT’S NOT JUST FOR THE PANTRY, KIDS, RIGHT? YOU’RE GOING TO SEE EVERYBODY WITH A WAWA BAG, WHICH I FEEL LIKE IN TURN IS NORMALIZING THE GIFTING OF FOOD. HEY, WOULD YOU LIKE A PRODUCE BAG? AND THIS IS EXCITING. WE CAN ALL, YOU KNOW, GET FOOD. INFLATION IS RIDICULOUS FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. YEAH, I JUST SAW THAT. YOU SAW THAT BEFORE? I DIDN’T. YOU DIDN’T. THEY’RE GETTING EXCITED ABOUT THE VARIETY OF FOOD BECAUSE IT’S SOMETHING NEW AND EXCITING CAUSE IT’S EXCITING. THEY’RE TRYING NEW THINGS BECAUSE IT’S EXCITING. THEY’RE GOING TO DO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TRY A FOOD THAT THEY WOULDN’T HAVE BEFORE. I DIDN’T HAVE A PROGRAM LIKE THIS WHEN I WAS A KID, SO I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE HUNGRY. I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO EITHER HAVE BRAND NEW SHOES OR HAVE SPAGHETTI ON THE TABLE. AND SO I FEEL IT DEEPLY WHEN I HEAR THESE STORIES. AND MY SON MAY SAY, YEAH, HE DIDN’T HAVE A SNACK. IT’S NOT UNUSUAL FOR US TO HEAR THAT A NEW FAMILY OR A NEW STUDENT NEEDS SUPPORT EVERY WEEK ON AVERAGE. I WOULD SAY THAT ONE STUDENT OR ONE FAMILY EVERY WEEK IS ADDED TO OUR LIST. A STUDENT WHO COMES IN WITHOUT THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET. THEY CANNOT LEARN. SO IF THEY’RE SITTING, THEY’RE DISTRACTED BECAUSE THEIR STOMACHS ARE GROWLING AND THEY JUST WANT FOOD. THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND TO THE INSTRUCTION. AND SOMETIMES THAT EVEN WILL CAUSE THEM TO ACT OUT A LITTLE BIT. IT’S REALLY MORE OF A VILLAGE APPROACH. THEIR KIDS ARE FRIENDS WITH OUR KIDS AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT THEM WHEN THEY’RE AT HOME SO THAT THEY CAN BE NOURISHED, BE ABLE TO DO A LITTLE MORE AND COME TO SCHOOL AND LEARN. IT’S BEEN INCREDIBLE. SOME OF THE STORIES THAT WE HEAR FROM THE KIDS IS JUST THEY WERE SO HAPPY TO GET STRAWBERRIES. WE’RE HELPING GET THE BAGS ON THE BUS AND THE LITTLE GIRL IS GOING, THIS IS MY BAG. AND SHE’S SO PROUD OF IT. SHE’S CLINGING ON TIGHT TO IT. THE FRESH PRODUCE REALLY MAKES THEM SMILE. IT’S REALLY OPENED UP OUR ABILITY TO GIVE BACK TO FAMILIES, WHICH IS SOMETHING VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART. SECOND HARVEST FRESH MARKET PROGRAM IS IN EACH COUNTY THAT THE FOOD BANK SERVES AND MORE SCHOOLS HOPE TO JOIN. IT’S JUST ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU’LL SUPPORT WHEN YOU GIVE TO SHARE YOUR CHRISTMAS AND THE SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK. WE WILL TAKE YOUR DONATIONS RIGHT NOW. PLEASE CALL US. 40751441099. YOU CAN ALSO GIVE ONLINE@WESH.COM. WE HAV