November, 2015 – Take a Bite out of Hunger
CENTRAL PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL, October 26, 2015– The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau, Florida Farm Bureau, the South Florida Fair, and Presenting Sponsor, Wells Fargo, will host the annual Farm City luncheon. Farm City annually highlights local agribusiness, as Palm Beach County is one of the largest agriculture counties in the country.
The event’s keynote speaker, Scott Etzel, a Senior Vice-President in Wells Fargo’s Agribusiness Industries Department, will share his economic projections for the Ag industry in Palm Beach County. Mr. Etzel’s portfolio focuses on a variety of agribusiness companies in the fruit, vegetable, seafood, meat, dairy and sweetener industries across Wells Fargo’s North American footprint.
This year’s topic, Food and Feeding, is dedicated to raising awareness about Palm Beach County’s staggering hunger problem. Many people are unaware that 57% of Palm Beach County School District’s students qualify for free or reduced lunch, or that the county has the highest percentage of food insecure individuals who do NOT qualify for food stamps or other federal nutrition programs. This year, we are highlighting the generosity of local farmers, who so often donate much needed excess crops to local food shelters throughout the year.
With the belief that knowledge is power, the event will feature a panel of experts that will share important information and possible solutions. The panel includes Perry Borman (Executive Director of the Palm Beach County Food Bank), Dr. Laurie George (President and CEO for United Way of Palm Beach County), Paco Velez (President and CEO of Feeding South Florida), and Denise Hatton (Director of Public Affairs for R.C. Hatton Farms).
In this spirit of giving, and to ensure local individuals and families enjoy a healthy, hearty Thanksgiving meal, we are requesting that attendees bring canned/ non-perishable goods to donate. As is tradition, each guest can expect to walk away with a box of local grown produce.
Farm City will be held on Wednesday, November 18 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the South Florida Fair Grounds Expo Center located at 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33411. Tickets are on sale now! To register, visit the Chamber website www.cpbchamber.com and click on the Business Calendar.
About the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce
The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization dedicated to business advocacy, economic development, and education. From Cane-to-Coral the communities located within the Chamber’s footprint are: Acreage, Atlantis, Belle Glade, Greenacres, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Worth, Lantana, Loxahatchee, Loxahatchee Groves, Manalapan, Palm Springs, Royal Palm Beach, South Palm Beach, Wellington and West Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.cpbchamber.com.