Mobile food pantry helping Bay County residents stock up before worst of hurricane season
This story has been updated to correct a mistake that appeared in the original version. The correct person to contact for more information is Adrienne Pelletier at adrienne@onegenaway.com.
Those who would like to help with the food drive can contact OneGenAway's local representative, Adrienne Pelletier, at adrienne@onegenaway.com.
PANAMA CITY — A nonprofit is continuing its almost four-year mission to feed the Panama City community ahead of the worst part of hurricane season.
OneGenAway’s mobile food pantry is returning to the St. Dominic Catholic Church parking lot, 3308 E. 15th St., on Saturday.
The mobile pantry aims to provide one load of fresh produce, pantry staples, dairy and other essentials to those in need. It is open to anyone, no registration or paperwork is required, but is first-come, first-served, so early arrival is recommended.
The drive is set for 7:30-9 a.m. or until the food runs out. Volunteers should arrive at 6:30 a.m.
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OneGenAway founder and CEO Chris Whitney said one in eight Floridians is food insecure, including one in six children.
He added that getting the food essentials to residents is vital with hurricane season already active.
"With hurricane season ... the need starts to gets exacerbated because of power outages, and just lack of access to food, transportation," Whitney said. "All those things are magnified during a storm like that."
Arriving in the area just after Hurricane Michael tore through Bay County in 2018, he said noticed how scarce fresh produce was, as well as the color. He said providing fresh, healthy produce can make a world of difference.
"Just the color of the produce, I know that sounds really strange, but you know what it's like after a storm. It's just brown and nasty and dirty," Whitney said. "It's the vibrant colors of yellow and red and orange, and ... they can be eaten right away. They're good for you, nutritional value is high. So, those are the things we think about."
Arrived in Bay County after Michael's devastation
OneGenAway is a Tennessee-based nonprofit food pantry that has operated in Florida since Michael. Whitney said OneGenAway started with Hurricane Harvey that swamped parts of Texas and Louisiana with record rainfall in 2017 and once the Category 5 Michael hit, its leaders wanted to find ways to help the Panhandle.
After a board member in Alys Beach pointed him in the right direction, he was soon connected to church officials at St. Dominic, where they've begun a partnership with feeding the community.
"I reached out to (Lynn Haven United Methodist) and they said they were already doing some food things and they referred us to St. Dominic's. So it's kind of a long, windy road but that's how I got there," Whitney said. "I flew down and met with the leadership team at St. Dominic's and told them what we do and they're like, 'Man, we think we'd like to do that.' Now, here we are."
Whitney said his organization has done almost 20 mobile drives in Panama City since 2018.
The reaction to their drives has been overwhelmingly positive and appreciative, he said.
"It's very humbling and I tell people, 'There's just nothing like being the answer to someone's prayer,'" Whitney said. "There's no greater feeling than that."
Those who would like to help with the food drive can contact OneGenAway's local representative, Adrienne Pelletier, at adrienne@onegenaway.com.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: OneGenAway hosting mobile food pantry at Panama City church June 11
