For Immediate Release
Second Harvest Food Bank facing
unprecedented food shortage on shelves
August donations dip 40 percent, but demand still high;
Winn-Dixie steps forward to provide assistance, will accept donations at all stores in a five-county area along with
VyStar Credit Union and select Curves locations
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Sept. 2, 2008) - The Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida is experiencing some of its most challenging days - with demand for food at an all-time high and yet donations to meet the need slowing to a trickle.
Donations to the Food Bank were down 30 percent in August. As a result, shelves are nearly bare at the Jessie Street facility, and many of the 515 member agencies that depend on the resources provided by Second Harvest are being forced to go without. That means people who are struggling during already challenging economic times are without food when they need it most.
Second Harvest distributed 656,000 pounds of food in July but had only 385,000 pounds for distribution in the month of August. Comparatively, the Food Bank moved 601,000 pounds in August 2007.
"We know from experience that when people are forced to choose between paying the rent and buying food, they have to pay the rent first," Second Harvest Executive Director Wayne Rieley said. "There are people who are depending on our food bank to help them make ends meet, and right now we are having a difficult time keeping up with that demand. We need help from the Jacksonville community."
Food that comes into Second Harvest - which includes donations from wholesalers, grocery stores, restaurants and food drives - moves off the shelves within days. Because of the limited food availability in the warehouse, the Food Bank is asking businesses and faith groups to donate products or coordinate food drives instead of volunteering time at the Food Bank.
"A standard truckload of food typically produces between 35,000 and 40,000 pounds of nonperishable products," Rieley said. "Our member agencies can easily use all of that in just one day."
One local partner has stepped forward to help address the critical need. Local grocery giant Winn-Dixie is donating 43,000 pounds of nonperishable food to Second Harvest, which will be delivered on Wednesday, Sept. 3. The retail value of the donation is more than $41,000.
In addition, Winn-Dixie has placed collection barrels in all 44 of its stores in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. All nonperishable food items are needed, and Winn-Dixie's "Good 'Til" program allows consumers to help the Food Bank and save money at the same time. The store also has "10 for $10" and "Buy One Get One" promotions - tools that enable significant contributions to help others at limited cost.
Other local business joining to assist Second Harvest include VyStar Credit Union, which is accepting food donations at each of its 22 Jacksonville branches and at its branch in Gainesville, and selected Curves locations in Jacksonville.
The ways for people to help are many, according to Rieley. In addition to donating food at Winn-Dixie or VyStar locations, local businesses can conduct their own food drives to benefit the Food Bank or donate funds, which will allow the agency to purchase food or recover products from the Feeding America network - formerly known as America's Second Harvest.
For every $1 donated, the Second Harvest Food Bank can recover $53 worth of food via the Feeding America system, where truckloads of excess products are made available to the more than 200 food banks in the Feeding America system. The recovery costs come from the transportation required to get the products to Jacksonville.
Second Harvest is facing its crisis at a time when a national focus will be on hunger throughout the month of September, which has been designated as Hunger Action Month. The Food Bank is also launching an awareness campaign in September, aimed at drawing attention to the issue of hunger on the First Coast.
"Our needs come at a time when people will be hearing a tremendous amount about hunger, both nationally and in our community," Rieley said. "It certainly wasn't planned that way. With our demand up 30 percent and donations down, however, we simply have reached a critical time when help is needed. The community has always answered the call for us, and we believe that they will respond this time as well. The people we serve depend on it."
Second Harvest notables:
- In 2008, Second Harvest expects to distribute more than seven million pounds of food to member agencies. This in turn serves thousands of hungry people, mostly the working poor, and gives food to low-income children through the Kids Cafe after-school and summer programs. In the Second Harvest service area, the majority of the people served are children and senior citizens.
- Second Harvest serves 515 member agencies in 18 counties.
- Second Harvest is experiencing a 30 percent increase in demand for food in 2008 compared to 2007.
- Second Harvest typically moves between 28,000 and 30,000 pounds of food per day to agencies who directly serve people in need. In August, Second Harvest moved less than 13,000 pounds per day.
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| About Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida
Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida is the oldest and largest program of Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida. LSS was founded in 1979 by area Lutherans and business leaders to fill gaps in services offered in the community for people in need. The Food Bank gathers food from local and national sources, shares these resources with 515 nonprofit organizations in 18 north Florida counties and helps thousands of people each year who are hungry or at risk of not having being able to provide food for themselves and their families. In addition to collecting and distributing food, the Food Bank serves children in after-school programs through its Kids Cafe and in summer camps through its Summer Lunch program. It also takes Mobile Pantries filled with Family Boxes of food to people living in neighborhoods with the greatest needs. Call 904.730.8234 for more information about any of these programs and services. |
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| CONTACT:
Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida Tom Strother
Communications Manager
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SECOND HARVEST
FOOD BANK
FACES SHORTAGE
WHERE TO DONATE FOOD:
All 44 Winn-Dixie stores in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau andSt. Johns counties
All 22 VyStar Credit Unions (Jacksonville and Gainsville)
Branch Locator
Three Curves locations
10920 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville
1857 Wells Road, Orange Park
3720 San Jose Place, Jacksonville
HOW TO DONATE FUNDS:
Click here to donate funds to the Second Harvest Food Bank.
INTERESTED IN HOSTING A WORK, SCHOOL, CHURCH OR NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD DRIVE?
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