Central Florida people in need find encouraging words in holiday food bundles from Second Harvest
Hundreds of people in need who lined up Saturday morning at Evans High School for free holiday food bundles from Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida found surprise messages tucked inside bags holding holiday hams.
Volunteers wrote encouraging words on index cards to lift the spirits of those in need.
Some read “You are amazing.” While others read “The world is a better place because of YOU!” or “You’re doing just GREAT!”
“Life can be hard and sometimes somebody just needs a kind word,” said Patti De La Cruz, a food bank employee who helped write the messages intended as pick-me-ups for recipients, often embarrassed to take a handout. “They’re loved, we’re here and there is absolutely no shame. Everybody at some point in life needs a little help.”
Volunteers, including 70 Evans High students, handed out more than $43,000 worth of donated food including over three tons of ham and boxes filled with cabbage, butternut squash, soups and packages of macaroni and cheese.
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“One in five of our children in our service area is at risk of hunger,” said Derrick Chubbs, president and CEO of the food bank which collects and distributes food in Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia.
“When we think about the holiday season, many of us, we think about food,” Chubbs said. “I’d much rather our children enjoy the holiday season as opposed to them worrying about whether there’s going to be food on the table.”
Families also lined up Saturday for Second Harvest food bundles at Oak Ridge High School and seven Orange County public elementary schools: Apopka, Englewood, Ivey Lane, Lawton Chiles, Maxey, Rock Lake and Tangelo.
About 2,500 families, many identified by the school district, signed up to participate.
“This makes a lot of difference to us because the paycheck is way below sea level,” said Sheron Thompson, a working mom who balances a job at Walmart with raising four kids. “If I don’t have to buy food then I could buy my kids something to wear or pay the light bill.”
She said she also visits food banks run by some church groups to keep her budget above water.
Many people, waiting in a 100-car-long line when the event started about 8 a.m., preferred not to talk about their struggles, though several said rising food prices have strained their household budgets to their very last dollars.
Others said they had not come to get food for themselves.
“A lot of people are less fortunate than me, a lot are struggling who need this assistance, especially at holiday time,” said Rachelle Ducksworth, who came early to gather food. “Food is going sky high, but I’m not doing this for me, no, sir.”
She said she will give it all away.
Devoy Johnson, who drove and unloaded the Second Harvest Food Bank truck Saturday, has been a part of the nonprofit’s holiday food distribution event annually since it began 16 years ago at Evans High School, his alma mater.
He said he remembers the struggles of some classmates.
“Over the many years that I’ve worked here, I’ve recognized a few faces from my high school days,” said Johnson, who graduated in 2002 and has worked for the not-for-profit group for 21 years. “I’m truly blessed to be part of the solution.”
