A group of local elected officials and their families and aides met at Second Harvest of the Big Bend and packed 495 bags with food. Those are for children from food-insecure households to take home from Leon County schools on Fridays.
The gathering was the idea of Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor, who used to be the CEO of Second Harvest. Its purpose was to do something good for the community outside of normal policy discussions. One of the attendees was Leon School Superintendent Rocky Hanna.
“After becoming superintendent seven years ago, it was very eye-opening to see the number of our children – especially elementary-school children – that were coming to school hungry,” he said. ”And unfortunately, the most nutritious meal that they receive they can count on day in and day out is the breakfast and the lunch they get at school.”
Tallahassee City Commissioner Curtis Richardson says food insecurity has been a concern of the city commission.
“Community gardens…our neighborhood farmers markets…so that we can take the food to where people are, and they can easily get to where the food is,” said Richardson. “So, yeah, that’s been our top priority. We also provide financial support for organizations like Second Harvest and others in the community.”
Both the city and county do outreach to food-insecure neighborhoods and support providers like Second Harvest.
***
Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor, his wife Jessica Lowe-Minor and their children; County Commissioner Brian Welch, his wife Kim and their children; County Commissioner David O’Keefe; Tallahassee City Commissioner Curtis Richardson; Sheriff Walt McNeil and his wife Gloria; Elections Supervisor Mark Earley and his wife Stacey; Leon School Superintendent Rocky Hanna; City Commissioner Jack Porter’s aide Terrie Hookfin and her sister, Darnica Hookfin.
