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Farm Share will distribute food Saturday at the Leon County Health Department

a person wearing gloves and puts a box of food in a car trunk
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Recipients will receive fresh produce and non-perishable canned goods while remaining in their vehicles.

The state’s largest food bank will distribute food tomorrow (Saturday) at the Leon County Health Department. The event starts at 8 a.m. and lasts until the food is gone.

Farm Share is here to help those impacted by widespread damage and power outages caused by recent tornadoes and other severe weather in Tallahassee and surrounding areas.

State and local officials will join volunteers to distribute the food. Recipients will receive fresh produce and non-perishable canned goods in a drive-thru line. Attendees must arrive in a vehicle with a trunk or cargo bed.

Here's the news release from Farm Share:

Tallahassee, Fla. – In the wake of widespread damage and power outages caused by recent tornadoes and severe weather in Tallahassee and surrounding counties, Farm Share, Florida’s leading food nonprofit and the state’s largest food bank, will distribute food in the impacted community. The food distribution will take place on Saturday, May 18, at Leon County Health Department from 8:00 a.m., while supplies last. 

State and local officials will join volunteers to distribute food to local families. Recipients will receive fresh produce and non-perishable canned goods. Distributions will be drive-thru only to minimize contact and to help ensure the safety of all parties. Attendees must arrive in a vehicle with a trunk or cargo bed.

“Leon County and the Big Bend area were recently ravaged by tornadoes and severe weather, and as these communities work diligently to restore utilities, thousands of families are still without power and in need of shelf-safe foods,” said Stephen Shelly, Farm Share CEO. “Our team will have boots on the ground to help get nutritious food to neighbors in need as they continue the struggle to recover from nature’s onslaught.”

Tallahassee’s utility services suffered extensive damage, including nearly 400 utility poles destroyed and 150 transformers damaged. Nearly 189,000 properties lost power in the counties impacted by the storms.

Event: Leon County Health Department

Location: Leon County Health Department, 2965 Municipal Way

Date: Saturday, May 18

Time: 8:00 a.m., while supplies last

Attendees: State Senator Corey Simon
State Representative Jason Shoaf’s Legislative Staff
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey
Tallahassee Mayor Pro Tem Curtis Richardson
City Commissioner Jack Porter
City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow
City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox

Farm Share also distributes food to communities through its network of soup kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters, churches, and senior centers across Florida free of charge. To find a food pantry near you, please visit www.farmshare.org/food-pantries.

With more than 3.9 million families suffering from food insecurity throughout Florida, Farm Share meets the everyday hunger needs of Floridians by working hand-in-hand with local farmers to recover and redistribute produce that would otherwise be thrown away due to aesthetic imperfections.

Gina Jordan is the host of Morning Edition for WFSU News. Gina is a Tallahassee native and graduate of Florida State University. She spent 15 years working in news/talk and country radio in Orlando before becoming a reporter and All Things Considered host for WFSU in 2008. Follow Gina: @hearyourthought on Twitter. Click below for Gina's full bio.