Dear Editor:
On behalf of the Board of Directors and many volunteers that operate the Bradford Food Pantry, we want to thank you for your generous support in 2024. In 2024, we averaged approximately 100 families receiving food each week, primarily because of the generosity of folks receiving this update. The Bradford Food Pantry has been serving the needy citizens of Bradford County since 1989. Many of the original founders and donors have passed on, but many left legacies of service and were an example to their children who give regularly in honor and memory of their loved one or a close friend. Regardless of how frequent or how much, every donation helps tremendously. Many of the families receiving food include children or veterans, as well as homeless individuals, who count on the Food Pantry for the majority of their meals. Many do not have stoves, refrigerators, etc. so the volunteers at the Pantry customize the box of food we give the homeless to the extent possible. Every week we see individuals coming to receive food on bicycles or grocery carts “borrowed” from a local grocery store.
Many churches within Bradford County and many individuals give regularly, regardless of the amount. However, having moved from the small building on Andrews Street across from Powell’s Dairy Freeze to our current operations site on the fairgrounds parking lot (the former Gold Key Farm Supply building), our expenditures for 2024 were over $15,000 more than our receipts. As we all know, that math cannot work but so long.
Our monthly need for cash, including utilities, insurance, purchase of food, maintenance on coolers and freezers, the generator, the pallet jack, etc., are over $3,000 per month. Most of our food is donated through the following entities-Winn-Dixie of Starke, Walmart of Starke, Waste Not-Want Not in Orange Park, Feeding Northeast Florida out of Jacksonville, and folks like you all who bring your BOGOs each month. Also, we have to give a big shoutout to Davis Express trucking company who regularly supplies us with cases of salads and frozen chickens that were excess orders to the grocery stores to whom Davis Express delivers. Again, if we had to purchase all of our food, even at discounted prices, we would have to raise several thousand dollars more each month or cut back seriously on the number of clients we are able to serve.
Last month, we had to replace approximately one-third of our inside store/office floor area, including gutting all the original timbers. Fortunately, Terry Gaines gave us a heavily discounted labor rate for his construction team to rip out all the old floor and tiles and put in new lumber, insulation and moisture barrier since the building is up off the ground. Vicki Teal and Robert Starling at Teal Tile/Carpet One donated all the floor tiles and baseboards necessary to install the new floor and Jackson Building Supply provided lumber and hardware at their cost. Still, the cost of the project was over $5,000. Clay Electric Foundation previously provided their maximum grant amount of $20,000 that allowed us to purchase and install a much- needed 12×8 walk-in freezer, which truly has been a godsend. The First Christian Church of Starke, a long-time supporter, provided over $13,000, which allowed the Pantry to purchase an emergency generator and accompanying L.P. gas tank so that we now have continuous power in the event of loss of electrical power.
Our biggest need at the moment is to replace two older two-door coolers with three-door coolers, as maintenance is getting too costly on the older units. The cost for a new three-door commercial reach- in freezer has nearly doubled since the pandemic to about $6,000 apiece. We lovingly ask our donors and churches to prayerfully consider whether you could specifically help with this need.
In addition to all the great supporters/donors to whom this update is being supplied, there literally would be no Bradford Food Pantry without the incredible
volunteers who show up faithfully every week regardless of weather conditions. ‘The Bradford Food Pantry has approximately 25 volunteers every Friday as we distribute food from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. with drive-through service; the clients never get out of their vehicle. The volunteers begin arriving around 8 a.m. and do not leave until after all clients have been serviced and food returned to appropriate freezers, storage areas, etc. As of this writing, we served 125 clients on Friday, January 17. The volunteers also work Mondays and Wednesdays receiving, storing and separating food.
So, while our needs are still many, the blessings we observe are even more. I cannot count the number of clients who have tearfully thanked us while saying this food will have to last them for two weeks. It is the generosity of folks reading this letter that makes this all possible.
While most clients do receive some form of government assistance, that does not allow enough money to purchase food for their family for a month, usually not even close. We thank God for each and every one of you reading this bulletin who selflessly give so that underserved/underprivileged men, women, boys and girls can at least go to bed most nights not feeling like they are starving.
We have some big things to work on in 2025 and hope to provide up to date information regarding the Food Pantry activities on a regular basis. If you have any questions about the Food Pantry, please call the main phone number of 904-964-3984 and leave a message. We check the messages every day. Or you can email me at [email protected] with any requests and I’ll get back to you ASAP. The following is a list of the officers for 2025: Bob Milner, president; Allen Crawford, vice president; Wanda Smith, secretary; Carol Milner, Treasurer; board members Linda Markman and Herb Sellers; Transportation Coordinator Marty Best.
Again, we thank all of you for your generosity and pray you will be blessed with good health in 2025.
With a grateful heart,
Bob Milner,
President
