Treasure Coast - Thursday December 14, 2023: Treasure Coast Food Bank’s Older Neighbors CARE-a-Van will roll across the region today, Thursday, Dec. 14, with truckloads of food boxes for seniors and older adults in need.
The event comes at a time when roughly 5.5 million seniors and older Americans face food insecurity in the United States, according to Feeding America.
When: Thursday, Dec. 14, 2 p.m.
Where: Treasure Coast Food Bank, 401 Angle Road, Fort Pierce
Who: Judith Cruz, Treasure Coast Food Bank President and CEO, will share information about the state of senior hunger before the trucks roll out to volunteers and staff.
What: The CARE-a-Van with a police escort from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office from Treasure Coast Food Bank’s distribution center in Fort Pierce.
More than 2,000 boxes of food across 20 sites will be delivered to low-income seniors and older adults in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee counties. Sites receiving holiday meal boxes include Mustard Seed; Salvation Army in Martin County, St. Lucie County, and Indian River County; Okeechobee Senior Services; Gifford Youth Beyond Special K Senior Program; Council on Aging of St. Lucie County; and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The annual delivery of food boxes provides vulnerable seniors and older adults with a sense of security during the holidays when budgets are stretched. The boxes contain shelf-stable foods that seniors and older adults can prepare easily for themselves and that contribute to a healthy diet for them, including canned fruits and vegetables, rice, stuffing, mac and cheese, peanut butter, and other pre-packaged meals.
Treasure Coast Food Bank is the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization on Florida’s Treasure Coast, providing the community each year with millions of meals valued at more than $50 million through robust programs and in partnership with 300 charitable organizations in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee counties.
For more information on Treasure Coast Food Bank, stophunger.org.