Treasure Coast 5 Food Bank - Okeechobee The Magazine · Helping you plan for tomorrow ......
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64 | November/December 2015 OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com November/December 2015 | 65 anks to the TCFB, local distribution partners and teams of volunteers in Okeechobee, a semi-trailer truck laden with food arrives monthly to help feed 7,000 of our residents. e largest hunger relief agency in our area, the TCFB has been in operation since 1988, with 25 percent of its food donations marked for Okeechobee’s families. e accolades are self-deflected from the TCFB and aimed at the 30 local partner agencies with which they’ve had long-term relationships. Judy Cruz, CEO of the TCFB, praises the selfless volunteers who are mission-driven to care for their neighbors because it is “the right thing to do.” Cruz also lauds Florida’s farmers for their generosity throughout the state. “e farmers are giving men and women, but our problem is that, at this time, we cannot process all the food they have for us. ey give us the food. We secure the transportation and work as quickly as we can to turn it around while it’s fresh. But much has to be turned down or thrown away.” Plans for a processing plant, the largest facility of its kind to be built in the United States, are underway, and by next summer a full production kitchen will be in operation in Fort Pierce. “We’ll be able to prepare frozen and refrigerated food for distribution and won’t have to turn anything down,” remarked Cruz. She was proud to note that 97 percent of all money raised by the TCFB goes to their outreach feeding programs. “Food miles” was an important consid- eration that drove the TCFB to con- struct the processing plant. Brian Sell, the preparedness planner for our local Department of Health, backed up the need by explaining that farmer-growers who want to donate are currently sending their harvest out of state to be processed before bringing it back into Florida for distribution. With the plant in opera- tion, the farm-grown cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, corn and other perishables will travel less, be processed when it’s fresher, and be delivered to Okeechobee to be used at a family’s discretion — instead of being thrown away. Add to the treasure trove all the produce, meat and non-perishables that local re- tailers donate, and funds donated by corporate sponsors; these all will help the TCFB continue to grow and do the work it does as the agency rolls into its new plant. e economic growth that local small farmers are experiencing is linked to the amount of food they raise and donate to the TCFB. From the fields to the TCFB to the schools to the kids — the chain is flourishing, and it’s one of the jobs of Krista Garofalo, chief programs officer with the TCFB, to link the people of Okeechobee with the services the food bank provides. “We do this by really getting to know the people and the organizations working to help those in need,” stated Garofo- lo. “Only by understanding the efforts already in place can we work toward filling the gap in those services. We help people not just survive by providing short-term solutions, but help them build up a foundation of self-sufficiency so they can thrive in the long term.” It’s a testament to these community-centric goals that the TCFB just received the Organization of the Year Award from the Florida Community Healthy Action Information Network. The Mobile Pantry A monthly Mobile Pantry is the TCFB’s strategic food distribution operation for Okeechobee residents. Timed to coor- dinate with end-of-the-month financial restraints, the food distributed through ith a name like “Treasure Coast Food Bank,” it’s not unreasonable to envision a large treasure chest bursting with ripe melons, richly yellowed ears of corn, plump, ripe tomatoes and a bounty of colorful, juicy and healthy fruits and vegetables. But the name belies the truth, for the Treasure Coast is rife with hungry people — over 100,000 men, women and children of all ages go hungry every day in the four-county demographic that con- stitutes the Treasure Coast. Okeechobee is one of them. W v Treasure Coast Food Bank Helps Feed Okeechobee’s Hungry By Jann Seal Photos By Sandra Pearce 5 5 ‘Treasure Coast Food Bank vastly improves the quality of life for many of Okeechobee’s citizens.’ – Tara Minton, executive director Economic Council of Okeechobee
Transcript of Treasure Coast 5 Food Bank - Okeechobee The Magazine · Helping you plan for tomorrow ......
64 | November/December 2015 OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com November/December 2015 | 65
Thanks to the TCFB, local distribution partners and teams of volunteers in Okeechobee, a semi-trailer truck laden with food arrives monthly to help feed 7,000 of our residents.
The largest hunger relief agency in our area, the TCFB has been in operation since 1988, with 25 percent of its food donations marked for Okeechobee’s families. The accolades are self-deflected from the TCFB and aimed at the 30 local partner agencies with which they’ve
had long-term relationships. Judy Cruz, CEO of the TCFB, praises the selfless volunteers who are mission-driven to care for their neighbors because it is “the right thing to do.”
Cruz also lauds Florida’s farmers for their generosity throughout the state. “The farmers are giving men and women, but our problem is that, at this time, we cannot process all the food they have for us. They give us the food. We secure the transportation and work as quickly as we can to turn it around while it’s fresh. But much has to be turned down or thrown away.”
Plans for a processing plant, the largest facility of its kind to be built in the United States, are underway, and by next summer a full production kitchen will be in operation in Fort Pierce. “We’ll be able to prepare frozen and refrigerated food for distribution and won’t have to turn anything down,” remarked Cruz. She was proud to note that 97 percent of all money raised by the TCFB goes to their outreach feeding programs.
“Food miles” was an important consid-eration that drove the TCFB to con-struct the processing plant. Brian Sell, the preparedness planner for our local Department of Health, backed up the need by explaining that farmer-growers who want to donate are currently sending their harvest out of state to be processed before bringing it back into Florida for distribution. With the plant in opera-tion, the farm-grown cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, corn and other perishables will travel less, be processed when it’s fresher, and be delivered to Okeechobee to be used at a family’s discretion — instead of being thrown away.
Add to the treasure trove all the produce, meat and non-perishables that local re-tailers donate, and funds donated by corporate sponsors; these all will help the TCFB continue to grow and do the work it does as the agency rolls into its new plant.
The economic growth that local small farmers are experiencing is linked to the amount of food they raise and donate to
the TCFB. From the fields to the TCFB to the schools to the kids — the chain is flourishing, and it’s one of the jobs of Krista Garofalo, chief programs officer with the TCFB, to link the people of Okeechobee with the services the food bank provides.
“We do this by really getting to know the people and the organizations working to help those in need,” stated Garofo-lo. “Only by understanding the efforts already in place can we work toward filling the gap in those services. We help people not just survive by providing short-term solutions, but help them build up a foundation of self-sufficiency so they can thrive in the long term.” It’s a testament to these community-centric goals that the TCFB just received the Organization of the Year Award from the Florida Community Healthy Action Information Network.
The Mobile Pantry
A monthly Mobile Pantry is the TCFB’s strategic food distribution operation for Okeechobee residents. Timed to coor-dinate with end-of-the-month financial restraints, the food distributed through
ith a name like “Treasure Coast Food Bank,” it’s not unreasonable to envision a large treasure chest bursting with ripe melons, richly yellowed ears of corn, plump, ripe tomatoes and a bounty of colorful, juicy and healthy fruits and vegetables. But the name belies the truth, for the Treasure Coast is rife with hungry people — over 100,000 men, women and children of all ages go hungry every day in the four-county demographic that con-stitutes the Treasure Coast. Okeechobee is one of them.
Wv
Treasure Coast Food Bank
Helps Feed Okeechobee’s HungryBy Jann Seal Photos By Sandra Pearce
55
‘Treasure Coast Food Bank vastly improves the quality of life for many of Okeechobee’s citizens.’ – Tara Minton, executive director Economic Council of Okeechobee
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the Mobile Pantry sustains families untilchecks or funds become available to them. The Mobile Pantry and all the other programs and outgrowths that receive food from the TCFB are unified in their objectives — to feed and nourish Okeechobee’s citizens.
Sell outlined three pressing problems within our community: obesity, eco-nomic need and food issues. That was his mind-set when he first met with the TCFB and proposed involving Okee-chobee’s Health Department.
Sell distributes 500 vouchers to com-munity organizations every month for access to the Mobile Pantry, and from there, the vouchers trickle down through community partners until they reach the hands of those in need.
Staci Sharpe of Sharpe Nursing Services, LLC, is just one of the provider-partners contracted through the Healthy Start Coalition. “We review our clients and de-termine who the most needy are. They’re
the ones who get the 30 vouchers our service receives,” explained Sharpe. This pass into the Mobile Pantry allows a family to receive meat, vegetables, canned goods, frozen food, bread and desserts — all without getting out of the car.
Vouchers are not distributed based on income; instead, need is the determi-nant, and Healthy Start/Sharpe Nursing Services, knows where, within the com-munity, the need is. Echoing the mission statement of Healthy Start that addresses
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the needs of moms, babies and families, Sharpe and her staff work diligently to distribute the vouchers so that no one is missed.
Other partners are also recipients of the vouchers, and Sell makes sure every one of the 500 is distributed. The partners record the names, addresses, contact numbers and other pertinent informa-tion of everyone using the Mobile Pantry, to be accessed the following month to determine the state of their need.
The Mobile Food Pantry is just one of the food distribution centers through which the TCFB works. Dowling Watford, an Okeechobee city councilman and a monthly food distribution volunteer, marvels at the assortment and variety of foods the TCFB trucks bring in. “They bring in a huge selection of items and it’s such a help for Okeechobee families. These groceries and essential items are a vital supplement in their lives, and helps sustain the family during difficult times.”
‘They bring in a huge selection of items, and it’s such a help for Okeechobee families. These groceries and essential items are a vital supplement in their lives, and helps sustain the family during difficult times.’– Dowling Watford, City Councilman
Okeechobee volunteers.
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Teen Pantry kick-off.
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Becky Fleeger, director of the Okee-chobee Presbyterian Church Food Pantry, another local distribution center for the TCFB, summed up the value of the giving back to the community by stating that 3,763 families, representing 15,704 individuals, participated in the Church’s outreach. “We are thankful to be able to stand in the gap for those who are in need,” remarked Fleeger.
The Mobile Pantry will soon be moving to the fairgrounds in order to accommo-date the large number of people getting in line at 5 o’clock in the morning, awaiting the 8:30 opening of the pantry. Watford continued: “The need for food supple-mentation is so great in Okeechobee that it’s caused a traffic issue at the Health Department. So we’re moving to the Agricultural Center to accommodate everyone!”
Judy Cruz, Krista Garafalo, Brian Sell, Shannon Coty, Dillie Nerios and Jason Warren.5
Treasure Coast Food Bank CEO Judy Cruz with Becky Fleeger, director of the Okeechobee Presbyterian Church Food Pantry.
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However, receiving food on a monthly basis has to be supplemented for many families. As a result, more outlets have been initiated that recognize the whole person and fulfill niche needs.
The School Pantry Program
Available in our schools, through this program students can choose pantry items to bring home for their families. These items supplement the food dis-tributed monthly through the Mobile Pantry. Preparing balanced meals for an entire family is encouraged as it builds a sense of unity within the home.
The Teen Pantry
Understanding the changing needs of pre-teens and teenagers, the TCFB and its partners stock the Teen Pantry with nutritious “grab and go” snacks plus other non-food items. It’s those non-food items, such as hygiene products, beauty incentives and grooming items boys and girls need including razors, after shave, mousse and gel, to help the kids feel like they fit in and belong.
The Backpack Program
Backpacks filled with almost four days’ worth of child-friendly food are also dis-tributed by the TCFB partners at two locations in Okeechobee. All backpack items must be purchased by the TCFB due to governmental regulations, and this is where financing for its donations is put to use. Pop-top cans, non-perish-able food and products that children can easily access and use are included in the backpacks, which serve to maintain the children and their families on weekends and during the holidays.
Those backpacks that the children lug home are the lifeline that many fami-lies use to feed themselves. Without the TCFB, it’s unthinkable how many Okeechobee residents would go hungry.
“People remember us more during the holidays, but the need is greatest during the summer, when the free and reduced-price lunch program is closed, and that’s when the TCFB steps in to fill the gap,” explained Cruz, the Food Bank’s CEO.
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School nutritionists are vital to the food planning in Okeechobee’s 10 schools, and they work closely with the organizations receiving food from the TCFB. Tasty, “teen-centric” foods, energy foods and items that children will eat are priorities when determining the products collected and given away through Okeechobee’s auxiliary programs.
Tara Minton, executive director of the Economic Council of Okeechobee, stressed the importance of the partner-ship between the TCFB and Okeechobee: “The TCFB has joined in partnership with many of our citizens and numerous organizations, such as the County Health Department and the Okeechobee School District, to raise awareness and increase the dialogue of hunger and food inse-curity faced by many of our residents.
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Shannon Coty, Brian Sell and Dillie Nerios.
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They vastly improve the quality of life for many of Okeechobee’s citizens who need it most.”
Many local agencies provide “feet on the ground” for the TCFB, always with ears and eyes open to discover families in need.
Another “downline” agency working with the TCFB is the Health and Wellness Program, a dual-purpose agency that links medical benefits and WIC and SNAP ACCESS assistance to needy families.
Health navigators locate families in need through churches, referrals, the police de-partment, social service agencies, word-of-mouth, fliers and social media — any way they can find to connect with people in the community who need help, they’ll use. If they haven’t found you yet, they will! As Garofalo strongly stated: “We are always striving to make sure we under-stand the services being provided and the
unmet needs of the community.”
Remembering the fresh vegetables she ate from her parents’ garden in the “Garden State” of New Jersey, Cruz and the TCFB want to get as close to those mouth-watering memories as possible with the new processing plant. The ad-ditional 30 million pounds of produce the farmers donate will have an extended life, and through the TCFB’s extensive distribution channels, thousands of Okeechobee residents will go to sleep with full tummies.
But that won’t happen if you don’t get involved! The face of hunger has changed. Look around. If you see five people, at least one of them will be hungry. But you won’t know it, and they won’t tell you. Help them. Volunteer. Give. Donate food to the local Okeechobee Pantry. Get involved. Only by working together can we relieve hunger in our community. Go to www.stophunger.org and under Partner Agencies is a list of Okeechobee locations that need your help.
Jason Warren delivers food to the Okeechobee Presbyterian Church Food Pantry.
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