First, we want to thank you all for your hard work, support and prayers throughout the year.
Our monthly food pantry grew to help almost 950 families or more than 4,000 individuals a month by October.
Then at Thanksgiving and Christmas we fed almost 3,000 families or more than 12,000 individuals -- and there were toys for about 2,500 children (500 more than last year). In addition to boxes of food, we had meat for everyone, including turkeys for the families of 6 or more plus produce, cheese, milk and bread. Many thanks to Channel 12's Project Thanksgiving administered by the CFA which provided us with chickens at Thanksgiving. And, thanks to Channel 5's Food for Families and thousands of pounds of other food drive canned and dry goods we received through the CFA and Alex and Terry.
Meanwhile, the Community Food Trucks just keep on rolling.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, they carried more than 3.1 million lbs. of food for more than 120 local charities -- all for free.
Since July 1 they are on a pace to carry more than 4 million lbs. in the current fiscal year.
Just this past week we received truckloads of tomatoes, peppers, mini watermelons, avacadoes, canteloupes and papayas.
Working with our friends at CROS and the Community Food Alliance gleaning began again in December and we have already carried tens of thousands of pounds of corn to charities.
Plus we have had tens of thousands more pounds of produce given to us by other sources.
Working with CFA, our new Food Rescue program is flourishing -- today we are picking up 15 large pans of prepared but unserved food from a Palm Beach hotel and we will take directly to a soup kitchen.
And, God has blessed us with about $100,000 in grants in just the past few weeks that should keep the trucks running through July if not August or September (depends on repairs). Thanks to the Lost Tree Village Foundation, the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin counties and Channel 5 and United Way.
The pantry enters the new year not broke or even in debt for once but with just enough to get us through January.
With the rapid decline we saw last year in free or deeply discounted food available, we had to spend about $70,000 more than previous years to keep feeding monthly.
One way you, your teens or your co-workers could help is that if you are willing to hold a food drive at work or in your community, we will pick up the food and use it to help pack our boxes. Just let us know. It could be a great project for teens to get community hours.
Praise God for all his help and many thanks to all of you for your prayers...dan and jacquie