Fifteen community charities were the recipients of 1,000 bags of food purchased and filled by the Knights and Dames of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller, Commandery of the Palm Beaches. The agencies in turn distributed the bags to needy families throughout Palm Beach County. This year’s recipients were: The Academy of Nursing & Health Occupations, the Ascension Catholic Church in Boca Raton, Boca Helping Hands, the Children’s Home Society, Delray Beach CROS Caring Kitchen, the Farmworkers Coordinating Council of Palm Beach County, the First Haitian Baptist Church in Belle Glade, Matthew 25 Ministries, Operation Hope, Place of Hope, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Pahokee, St. Vincent Ferrer’s Care Ministry, The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd Tequesta, Urban Youth Impact, and the YWCA Child Care Centers.
This year’s annual drive was chaired by Chevalier Austin Bohlman whose late father, Chevalier Chris Bohlman chaired the first food project in 2003. Nearly 50 members of the Order and friends participated in the two day process of handling over 10,000 pounds of dry and canned goods. “Each bag’s contents is sufficient for a family to have three meals a day for 1-2 weeks. Our Moms were overjoyed to tears to receive them”, stated Suzanne Turner, CEO of the YWCA.