We are seeking to feed 1,500 families – Joi Edwards, Second Harvest of the Big Bend
Florida A&M University (FAMU) will host Second Harvest of the Big Bend’s weekly emergency food distribution 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Bragg Stadium parking lot.
The FAMU Student Health Services, which operates a food pantry, is one of many community partners that work with the Second Harvest of the Big Bend.
“In this time of crisis, we want to do all we can to assist families in need,” said Tanya Tatum, director of the FAMU Student Health Services. “Under normal circumstances, it would have been logistically nearly impossible to host an event like this, so we are glad to accommodate families in the community getting food supplies.”
To facilitate social distancing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the food distribution will be a drive-through event. Those seeking assistance should enter the parking lot from Wahnish Way and exit on Perry Street. Second Harvest volunteers will be on hand as will be FAMU Parking Services staff to direct traffic.
“The Mega Mobile” food distribution is one of a series of weekly events Second Harvest is holding to help families financially hurt by job losses and other disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, said Joi Edwards, agency relations coordinator for Second Harvest.
“We are currently dealing with a public health emergency,” Edwards said. “Hunger is already an epidemic, particularly in the Big Bend. We know we are the most hungry region in the state of Florida. We are trying to meet the needs.”
Last Wednesday, more than 1,200 families collected food boxes at Tallahassee Community College. Edwards expects to feed even more families at the FAMU event.
“We are seeking to feed 1,500 families. That is our goal every Wednesday for all of our emergency distribution mobile pantries,” Edwards said.
Second Harvest distributes food in 11 Big Bend counties. Every month in Leon County, the agency’s goal is to distribute 462,493 pounds of food. During the last fiscal year, the food bank distributed 12.7 million pounds of food in its service area.
