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Salvation Army and Nourishment Network Distribute Food To Local Residents

Underprivileged families of Alachua County wait in line for food from the Nourishment Network at the E. University Avenue Salvation Army location.
Underprivileged families of Alachua County wait in line for food from the Nourishment Network at the E. University Avenue Salvation Army location.

Food insecure locals received extra food resources thanks to the Salvation Army and the Nourishment Network Food Bank. The organizations, in partnership with Farm Share, held a free food distribution at the Salvation Army of Gainesville.

About 500 local individuals and households received bags of food at the Sept. 22 distribution. Salvation Army Captain, Preston Lewis, said the event gave additional help to those, "whose resources are very slim and aren't really sufficient to get them from week to week."

"Chopper Dave" Rothfeldt, a local homeless man, said he and his wife attended the event because they ran out of food stamps and food. Fortunately, Rothfeldt and his wife were able to receive free food bags.

The donated food was a big help to Rothfeldt. "We'll be alright now, until we get our food stamps again."

Chris Hughes, manager of USDA/TEFAP at Nourishment Network, said the event targeted low-income locals and their families struggling with food insecurity.

"One in six people are food insecure, meaning, they don't know when their next meal is going to be; that number rises to one in four when you're talking about children, " Hughes said. "We're hoping to reduce those numbers in the Gainesville-Alachua County community."

While the organizations supplied food to around 500 local individuals and households, the turnout of local volunteers at the event was low.

Emma Holt, a lead volunteer at the Nourishment Network, was surprised by the lack of volunteers and support from the local community. "We had a problem getting volunteers, so we were very blessed and honored to have some of the clients in line agree to volunteer," Holt said.

Holt hopes more local volunteers can be recruited in the future as these distributions usually need 30 to 40 people to properly provide service to attendees. Holt said the Nourishment Network Food Bank, which is based in North Florida, now recognizes the need in the Gainesville-Alachua County area and wants to return to aid the community again.