Palm Beach Harvest – Feeding the Hungry since 1998
By Jeri Wise
It seems that we are in the worst of times. It’s not news that our economy is not good. Thousands of homes are being foreclosed and people are losing jobs. It could be your neighbor, one you don’t even know about, who is going without food. Palm Beach Harvest has been feeding hungry people 7 days a week, 365 days a year since 1998, but lately, the need has become frightening.
Thousands of pounds of perfectly good food are thrown away daily (millions yearly) while children and adults go hungry. Here in Palm Beach County, more and more of the population are living at or below the poverty line. Palm Beach Harvest is a non-profit, community-based organization of volunteers who collect and transport surplus food to non-profit distribution centers throughout Palm Beach County. Palm Beach Harvest utilizes volunteers who donate their time to rescuing three million pounds of food per year. At locations where adults and children find food and shelter, Palm Beach Harvest provides nutritious hot meals to those who come to their doors.
Deborah Morgan, Palm Beach Harvest’s Executive Director, offers her insights: “Back in 1998, I decided that something had to be done to help the countless children and adults who go without food right here in our own back yard. Palm Beach Harvest gave me that opportunity. Back then, Palm Beach Harvest was a grass-roots, all-volunteer organization, a chapter of USA Harvest. Since then both our donor base and the number of hungry people have grown tremendously, and we get large-scale donations that must be transported and refrigerated. We need funding for trucks, drivers, gas and refrigerated storage.”
October is National Cookie Month!
To celebrate, Palm Beach Harvest is partnering with Zen Rabbit Baking Company to share
The Gratitude Cookie™. A deliciously addictive cross between a butter and a sugar cookie, this treat is so named because you’re encouraged to think about something you are grateful for as you’re eating. Order for yourself or as thoughtful gifts for friends or clients, and Zen Rabbit donates 50% of the purchase price to Palm Beach Harvest. Visit www.PalmBeachHarvest.org for details.
We Can Help Each Other!
Palm Beach Harvest is partnering with organizations who are willing to share their profits with us while offering you some great deals! On our website,
www.PalmBeachHarvest.org, you’ll find links to extend your own food and fuel costs while helping Palm Beach Harvest Meet the Need to Feed.
Sign up to receive grocery and gas savings certificates. Spend $100 per month on gas or groceries and receive a Visa gift card worth $25 each month. Over 20 months, you get $500! Visit PalmBeachHarvest.org for details.
Jeri Wise is a freelance writer and desktop publisher. She invites you visit http://www.palmbeachharvest.org/ to learn more about Palm Beach Harvest’s mission to feed the hungry in our community 365 days a year. Working together, we can reduce, even eliminate hunger locally. Yes, we can!