Where Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice lives in West St. Petersburg, there are three Publix supermarkets, a Winn Dixie, and an Aldi. There are neighborhoods only a few miles away, however, with no grocery stores and scant transportation to get residents where they need to go. Luckily, a Florida nonprofit is holding a food give-away in Lealman to help these areas.
For at least six years now, Pinellas County has partnered with the nonprofit Farm Share and this year with the nonprofit Florida Dream Center to conduct food giveaways in various communities throughout the county.
The latest one will take place in Lealman April 1 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. or while supplies last.
Residents simply need to show up at the Lealman Exchange, 3785 54th Ave. N. When the Farm Share truck arrives, they will learn what bounty it carries. Any county resident in need of healthy food and grocery necessities is invited to attend the drive-through event.
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“Some mornings, it’s pallets of bananas and green beans or yams and squash,” Justice said. “Sometimes, they’ll bring a pallet of bread or milk or juice. It is usually anywhere from 12,000 to 15,000 pounds of food.”
The giveaway takes place at a different “food desert,” each time, places where residents are hard-pressed to get to a grocery store. “Typically, we do 300 to 500 households that are impacted,” Justice said. “That could be anywhere from 600 to 1,500 individuals. It’s a really cool event.”
What are food deserts?
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, food deserts are geographic areas where residents have no good options for securing healthy and affordable foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables. Food deserts are disproportionately located in high-poverty areas, creating extra hurdles for people already burdened by inadequate healthcare, transportation, and other needs.
Food deserts are more common in areas with smaller populations with higher rates of vacant homes, filled with residents with low levels of education, low income, and high unemployment, according to the foundation.
Researchers conduct surveys to determine where food deserts are located. They consider various factors, including:
- Access to food by distance to a store
- Vehicle availability, household resources and family income
- Neighborhood resources and the availability of public transportation
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 33% of those living in low-income, low-access census tracts must travel at least a mile in urban areas and 10 miles in rural areas to reach the nearest grocery store or supermarket.
The Florida Policy Institute reports that there are hundreds of food deserts throughout the state of Florida. People living in such areas are more likely to die prematurely from stroke, diabetes or certain types of cancer because of their lack of access to healthy foods.
Learn more about Farm Share
Farm Share gets its produce from farmers in the region who have a surplus, or the fruits or vegetables aren’t considered “pretty” enough to sell to grocery stores or restaurants. It also gets donations from some grocery stores, enabling the trucks to fill up with bread, milk, and other fresh items.
“It’s a pretty simple concept,” Justice said. “You provide a location and volunteers, and they bring a truck of food to you.”
Volunteers arrive at the site around 7 a.m., unload the pallets and break everything into individual bags residents can take home.
“We never know what is coming until the truck opens up that morning,” Justice said.
The Florida Dream Center, which is also participating in the giveaway, is located in Lealman. It is a nonprofit that tackles social issues that relate to poverty. It conducts activities in Lealman, Clearwater, Ridgecrest, Tarpon Springs, and other communities.
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The giveaways are sporadic, depending on when the county can get on the Farm Share calendar and what is available. “You are on their schedule based on what they are able to secure.”
Justice said those who participate in the food giveaways are “incredibly grateful. A lot of folks, it is the first time they have ever accepted any kind of help. There is a mix of humility, but mostly it’s gratitude that someone is extending a hand to help.”
Typically, these events get a spurt of participants first thing in the morning, those that received an email or saw a flyer. Then there is another spurt an hour or so later, after they go home and tell their neighbors, Justice said.
“Folks in the Lealman area are familiar with the program, so I imagine we will have a pretty good crowd.”