Weekly Insights: Treasure Coast Food Bank
Article and photos by Carly Lenhardt, IRCF Marketing & Communications Intern
In Indian River County, 46% of households have low access to healthy food. One organization working daily to improve this issue is the Treasure Coast Food Bank, whose mission is to alleviate hunger by obtaining and distributing food and other essentials in Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee Counties.
One way Treasure Coast Food bank increases access to health food and nutrition is through their Mobile Pantry. This program is one of the most effective distribution strategies utilized to reach all demographics needing food assistance in Indian River county.
Earlier this year, IRCF awarded Treasure Coast Food Bank $25,000 to support the Mobile Pantry program. The Mobile Pantry utilizes a pop-up pantry-style distribution that meets people in the community where they live or work to remove access barriers. The pantry targets rural and/or underserved neighborhoods that have a high incidence of poverty, are food deserts, or lack consistent access to transportation to reach grocery stores or other sources of fresh, healthy food. During each distribution, clients receive an array of grocery staples to improve their levels of food insecurity. This year, more than 2.75 million meals are anticipated to be distributed to food insecure individuals through this program in Indian River County.
However, it is more than just alleviating hunger that the Treasure Coast Food Bank provides to the community.
“It goes beyond just providing food for people,” Krista Garafalo, Chief Strategy Officer of the TCFB, says.
The food bank also offers case management, job training, and assistance to help people access government benefits on top of food drives and mobile pantries. Trying to identify the root causes of hunger to strategize more solutions to alleviating it is essential at TCFB. Approximately 70% of households below the poverty line are not receiving SNAP benefits. The food bank's mobile distributions are paired with nutrition education (recipe cards, handouts, etc.), and SNAP outreach and enrollment assistance to provide clients with additional tools and resources to work towards improving levels of self-sufficiency.
All these different programs wouldn't be possible without the invaluable volunteers. Adam Bookspan, recognized as a Hunger Hero for his service, has been volunteering at TCFB for over a decade after he was inspired after a field trip to a food drive with his daughter 18 years ago.
“I figure you all have different talents, and if everyone can do something it will help out,” Bookspan says.
Help fight hunger on the treasure coast with us by donating today or signing up to volunteer.
