Second Harvest of the Big Bend

The needs across the 11 counties of the Big Bend are varied and complex

The community's response was a message of inclusion.

This was a different direction for the "Full Summer" effort to compensate for the lack of school-provided nutrition for low-income families when classes aren't in session.

Elementary school children learned the basics of better nutrition by preparing simple recipes themselves.

The money will be used to expand and improve the organization's food distribution in its 16-county serving area.

Volunteers load boxes of food -- supplied by Second Harvest, Farm Share, Publix and others -- into a line of vehicles that come to Victory House every other Saturday

The network of food banks has entered into a contract with the state Department of Children and Families to do Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) education, teaching people to cook and store the food they're getting.

Webster's generosity in donating his talents to the area's nonprofit human service agencies was the stuff of legend.

The eastern counties served by the regional food bank could especially be impacted by the storm and need help in its aftermath.

The hope is that community organizations such as churches and senior citizen centers will help identify those older folks who are nutritionally deprived.