Over 10,000 pounds of food

Maxie, that's super..... we got no bag/bags here in the 32073 zip, at least we didn't.  I have items to donate and if I remember correctly you said we could drop them off at Publix..is it too late?  If so, then I'll donate them to the Clothes Closet here in Orange Park. 

Thanks

Thanks for the update on the food drive. That's terrific!!  I live in 32043 (lake asbury)  and no bags were left here either; I kept waiting, but nope.  However, I do what I can when I can.

at Publix, the barrels are there year round. The Clothes Closet is another good choice. Some churches in the area have baskets in the back for canned food donations. What ever is most convenient for you.  You can also drop off donations at the Salvation Army headquarters on 220. My brain is tired today so I can't think of were else.

 If none of these are local to you, email me and maybe I can figure out a closer place or you know how I am I will just come by and pick it up myself  

Boardz skate shop on College has a deal for skaters on WEDs two cans of donated food will get you some F_R_E_E(that spells free) skate time....dude

jimmaxie@hotmail.com

I was saddened to see that only 3 houses out of 66 in our subdivision filled the bags and placed them on their mailbox. One would think that more people would have others less fortunate in mind. I guess it is the sign of the times, just as in church only 5% of the people do all the work, only 5% of people would contribute to such a worthy cause as this. I guess everyone is just to preoccupied with themselves.  I know that the GCS food pantry has been really low on staples.  They asked for donations in church about a month ago.

The two largest national groups that organize Food Drives are the Salvation Army, and the BSA ( Boy Scouts of America ). The Salvation Army does its big public campaign in the holiday months, and BSA does it off season in the month of April. Both organizations help each other. For those of you who didnt receive bags,please keep in mind those bags are handed out by Boy Scouts themselves in neighborhoods of their choice.

I was the coordinator "Scouting For Food" here in PA where  I currently live, for three years, and learned alot about the process during that time. I'd like to say, that while participating in these drives by bags that are sent to your door, or dropping food in the bins at your local stores is great, there are other options as well, and the program has other needs that if interested you could fulfill. Your local food banks accept donations year round, and these are normally organized by church members and local volunteers. You'd be surprised to know how much work goes on behind the scenes at these banks. They need people to move, count, organize, and distribute the food into the packages that are given out to needy families.They need volunteers to help during " open" hours to distribute food to the families themselves. Something I think alot of people are not aware of, is that there is a large need for more than just canned goods, and alot of Food Banks now have the means to store these items. I'm talking about frozen meats and frozen foods, diapers, baby food, bread, milk, cheeses and yogurt. Most Food Banks have the refrigerator/freezers necessary to hold these items. The reason you dont see these on the request forms, is in large food drives, the volunteers dont have the means to move "time sensitive" foods to the proper places in time.

 So there is still ALOT you can do, and unfortunately most people dont think about hunger in our neighborhoods except during these large public food drives.It's a year round issue, and volunteers are few and far between.

Just wanted to put it out there, for those interested, that there are many ways/times you can help fight hunger in your own neighborhood.Florida especially with it's large number of senior citizens has alot of people that need help keeping food in the cupboards.

I'd recommend anyone interested in donating a few hours/days a month to this worthy cause to contact your local BSA, Church, or Salvation Army to see where your hands and hearts can make a difference.

 Miani

 we worked our tail ends off yesterday, I am still dragging. There is still tons of food that we didn't get sorted and put into the storage room. So if you would like to help, call the Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs, 284-0814 on Monday between 10a & 4p and offer your time. Course for those of us that don't have any time left, I think any and all organzitions that help feed hungry people will take any amount of $$$ you wish to donate, all donations to non-profits can be deducted off your income taxes.

TIme, talent, treasure

Maxie;)

I just got an e-mail, and I am getting a "stimilus" donation, we all know how times have gotten tough, so for someone to give up part of their check is just overwhelming me with the giving spirit of the Citizens of Clay County...

Great posts!  Many people in Clay county go do bed hungry several evenings a week.  Those on fixed incomes are suffering greatly at the rapid increase of everything they need in their lives.  The elderly and children are most at risk.  I am glad to hear there was such an outpouring from GCS alias zip code 32043, which by the way does include more than just the city itself.  North to the south end of Fleming Island and Lake Asbury, south to the county line, east to the river and west to Penney Farms.

As someone said before, hunger occurs all year long. 

Awareness, knowledge, ease of giving:  Maxie you've done it all.  Thanks for making us bloggers aware of the food drive, your knowledge of how to help, and making it easy for us to achieve our goal of giving a helping hand to those in need. 

It could be any of us on any given day - a sudden illness, loss of job, anything unexpected and unplanned, who might need to turn to our neighbors for help to get by. 

These days, the economy is creating a situation for people on fixed incomes who thought they had planned for their golden years or just folks down on their luck, and now have to accept the fact that things don't always go as planned. 

This MCS blog is such a huge asset to Clay County.  Without it, I would not be aware of so much going on - community service, political issues, and knowing there are others here in CC who give a darn about what's happening in our little world.

Thanks again Maxie, and thanks to all of the others on the MCS blog who keep us informed.

Judy B.

Petition for removal of two commissioners. http://24.23.126.8/

Good news for hunger

Finely our legislation has passed a bill where restaurants can’t be sewed if they give extra food to a charity, or the hungry, if they get sick from it. Now we will have to wait and see how charitable the restaurants will be. It has always bothered me to watch restaurants through away hundreds of pounds of good food a year, when it could go to so many of our poor and homeless in our community.    

Thank you....I'll drop my bags off at Publix tomorrow.  A great big ''Thank You" to all involved in the food drive/collection. 

I don't know how many of you are involved in the Clay County Sheriff's Office Neighborhood Watch Program or participate in National Night Out in August.  In past years my neighborhood has participated and each year we select an organization to contribute to and ask those who attend National Night Out to bring an item that fits the organization.  A couple of years ago, it was the Clay County Food Pantry.  Perhaps this would be something for the neighborhoods to consided this year.  If each family brought one item, just think of the difference it could make.  Just a thought!!

Stryker 

The barrel at the EH Publix was overflowing today...you people are amazing!!!