BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Monitor
While the City of Lake Butler-hosted Farm Share food program provides needed food to residents of Union County, more options and opportunities are needed in the county to make sure all residents have enough to eat.
While larger counties have food banks and other sources for people in need of a little help, little else has been available, until now.
Promised Land Family Ministries began a monthly food distribution some time ago, the program is growing.
Founders Rebecca and John Hall, wanted to create a program closer to Providence to pose less of a trip for clients and to also increase the amount of food available in the county to hungry families.
So far, in 2024, the program has provided food to an average of 500 people each month. At the last food distribution, on Oct. 24, 2024, 145 families were served. The food bags included meats, fresh produce, canned goods, bottled water/drinks and bakery products.
Promised Land has partnered with the Gainesville Bread of the Mighty program to supply most of the food they distribute. Food is donated to the Gainesville program by a number of local businesses that sell food. The donated food is short-dated or just-expired but is still fresh and totally safe and wholesome to eat. All donated items are examined by Promised Land staff and volunteers when it is received, then stored as appropriate in shelves, in a refrigerator or in a freezer. All meats are received frozen and stay that way, taken out of the freezer only in time for the distribution.
Distribution day is a busy one at promised land, with 15-20 volunteers arriving early, except those who must wait until they get out of school for the day. Canvas Church in Alachua and Impact Family Church in High Springs members come out to volunteer, as do (for the first time) members of the Union County 4-H program, accompanied by 4-H Youth Development Agent Meagan Daniel. Many individuals from throughout the community often volunteer as well. The program is 100% volunteer-led. The volunteers are kept busy sorting, examining, and storing food items and packing them into bags to be distributed. Promised Land always receives at least three pallets of food and, at one distribution, received 11. While they never know exactly what they will get there is always a minimum of one pallet each of protein, produce and baked goods.
“We want to be a blessing to our community and share God’s love by meeting practical needs, like feeding people,” Promised Land Co-Founder Rebecca Hall said.
Promised Land is always looking for volunteers for their programs, as well as individuals and businesses interested in sponsoring their event.
The food distributions take place monthly, on the afternoon of the fourth Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The distribution is drive-up, and volunteers will assist in loading the food into the vehicles. The date will be different for the month of December, due to the necessity of working around the Christmas holiday. The December distribution is scheduled for Dec. 19, 2024 with the event beginning at 3:30 p.m.
