More than 500 families received free food

Photos by Rev. Ken Irby

ST. PETERSBURG — The city’s first FARM SHARE Free Food Distribution event was a huge success last Saturday, April 8.  Hosted at the GTE Financial Credit Union on “The Deuces,” at 2190 18th Ave. S., organizers report a final count of more than 525 families who received fresh produce, bread and other food items.

Mayor Rick Kriseman and Urban Affairs Director Nikki Capehart extended their appreciation and recognized several partners and volunteers including Farm Share Florida, GTE Financial, Florida Dream Center/ Adopt A Block, St. Petersburg College students, Farm Bureau, Job Corps of Pinellas students, the Police Athletic League (PAL), Community Health Centers of Pinellas and the Bill Edwards Family Foundation.

Lisa Wheeler-Bowman joined the mayor, Capehart and various city departments in helping distribute the food that was shipped from FARM SHARE’s distribution warehouse in Homestead.

FARM SHARE is a non-profit, large-scale food bank and charitable packinghouse working to end hunger. With five distribution centers in Florida, the FARM SHARE organization is focused on “Feeding Florida Families” – specializing in getting donated fresh produce from Florida’s farmers and putting it into the hands of the millions of low-income families in need of nutritious food.

For information, contact the City’s Urban Affairs Division, at 727-893-7885 or visitwww.farmshare.org.