Giving Tuesday: The difference being made by Second Harvest Food Bank

WE GOT TO HIT THAT GOAL OF $300,000. YES, WE DO. WE ARE GOING TO CHECK IN TO SEE WHERE WE ARE IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT AS WE SHARE YOUR CHRISTMAS, WE REALLY WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR GIFTS HELP FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY STRUGGLING WITH HUNGER AND SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK IS THE RESOURCE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING HUNGER. LAST YEAR THEY EXPANDED THEIR WORK TO MARION COUNTY, MEREDITH MCDONOUGH SHOWS US WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES. IT’S THE LAST WEEK WE DID 167 HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH WAS 581 INDIVIDUALS EVERY THURSDAY AS THE SUN IS RISING, MAYBE WE COULD DIRECT PEOPLE BACK THERE, VOLUNTEERS ARE HUSTLING. WHERE DO WE HAVE TODAY? IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAD A LOT OF PRODUCE TODAY. THIS IS THE HOPE LAKE WEIR FOOD PANTRY AT THE HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH SERVING ANYONE IN NEED IN MARION COUNTY. THE NEED CONTINUES TO BE GREAT. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SOMETIMES THEY NEED IT ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE BETWEEN JOBS. SOME PEOPLE JUST NEED A LITTLE BOOST TO HELP THEM OUT. AND THAT’S WHAT KEEPS THIS GROUP MOVING. THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS, BUILDING NONPERISHABLE BAGS LOADED WITH STAPLES, CRACKERS, SIDE DISHES, APPLESAUCE SOUPS, SPAGHETTI SAUCE, WHICH ARE THEN PAIRED WITH FRESH, HEALTHY GROCERIES. ANGUS BEEF THIS IS BEEF STEW, BEEF. AND THIS IS CHOPPED MEAT. WE HAVE CHICKEN SOMETIMES WE HAVE WHOLE CHICKENS, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TURKEYS, HAMS, RIBS. A LOT OF TIMES WE’LL GET FISH. THE BULK OF THIS FOOD NOW COMING TO MARION COUNTY FROM SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK. THE QUANTITY OF FOOD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE OUT NOW IS UNBELIEVABLE BECAUSE THE SECOND HARVEST AND WE’RE ALSO OFFERING MORE NUTRITIONAL FOOD, BEAUTIFUL APPLES, THE SQUASH, EVERYTHING THAT WAS IN SEASON WAS AMAZING. THIS YEAR. LAST YEAR, SECOND HARVEST MERGED. MARION COUNTY’S FOOD BANK INTO ITS NETWORK. IT WAS AN INSTANT INFUSION OF SUPPORT FOR PANTRIES LIKE HOPE LAKE WEIR. WE’VE GOT THE SINGLE MOM, THE SINGLE DADS, WE’VE GOT THE SENIORS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH AND ANYBODY IN BETWEEN. THANK YOU. THIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER SHOPPED FOR HER FAMILY OF FOUR. SHE TOOK HOME MORE THAN JUST INGREDIENTS. SHE CAN TEACH US HOW TO USE THE FOOD THAT THEY’RE GIVING US. A SECOND HARVEST. NUTRITIONIST ON SITE OFFERS RECIPES AND ADVICE. THEY’RE JUST LIKE SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH US SO THAT WE COULD USE OUR FOOD MORE EFFICIENTLY WHERE WE’RE LIKE GETTING STUFF FROM HERE THAT WE COULD USE THAT MONEY THAT WE WOULD USE TOWARDS GROCERIES TO PUT TOWARDS OUR BILLS. GOOD MORNING. OH, YOU’VE GOT THINGS. I HAVE THREE FAMILIES. LINDA PAUL IS HERE SHOPPING FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO CAN’T. THE FOOD I GOT TODAY WILL BE UNBELIEVABLE. PRODUCE. IT’S STUFF TO MAKE THEM HEALTHIER. FOOD THAT THEY CAN PREPARE THEMSELVES AN AND HELP THEM ALONG IN LIFE YOU KNOW BECAUSE LIFE RIGHT NOW FOR SOME IS TOUGH. IT IS A BASIC NECESSITY. AND SOME PEOPLE ALL, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN’T EVEN GET OUT TO A STORE. YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE A STORE TO ME. I’M GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE AND TAKING IT HOME TO THEM AND AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE HAPPIER LIFE TO GO ON KNOWING THAT SOMEBODY CAN HELP THEM OUT. THIS IS FRIENDS HERE, A WHOLE FAMILY OF FRIENDS. SO WHAT YOU’RE SEEING IS THE PRODUCT OF SECOND HARV