NEWS RELEASE

As the days of summer wind down, Harvest Food & Outreach Center is busy providing children and their families the resources they need to prepare for the financial hardships associated with the upcoming school year. Over 10,000 children and their families in Indian River County suffer from hunger and poverty. Families rely on Harvest’s Emergency Food Pantry and food assistance through educational programs to provide them with the food they need to carry them through an emergency situation or to provide for ongoing food assistance needs. All food gathered on behalf of Harvest through community food drives are used to provide assistance at no cost to those in need in Indian River County.

Your investment in Harvest will provide the necessary support for children and their families to begin the school year on the right foot. To learn more about making a donation, how you can help Harvest through a food drive or to donate shelf-stable food items, contact Willie Finklin, Programs Director, at 772-564-9365 or programsvb@harvestfoodoutreach.org.

In addition to these programs, an average of 470 families purchase groceries and household items through Harvest’s two Cost Share Grocery Program Neighborhood Centers located in Vero Beach at 1360 28th Street and 1050 Old Dixie Highway. Because Harvest shares the cost with the customer, shoppers are able to retain up to 75% of their grocery budget and make each dollar count, especially when children rely solely on their parents to provide all of their school supplies and nutrition. These nonprofit grocery centers offer a dignified shopping experience where members select the items they need and are responsible for a portion of the cost.

Memberships are free to income-qualified families. For membership application, new member discount coupon and more information visit one of the Neighborhood Center locations or harvestfoodoutreach.org.

Harvest Food & Outreach Center, founded in 2003 by Austin and Ginny Hunt in Indian River County, provides a holistic, multi-component approach that provides a hand up to those living at or under the 200% federal poverty level. Harvest’s mission is to assist those living in poverty to achieve economic self-sufficiency through resource development, resource protection, and resource connection. Harvest’s unique model offers a comprehensive three-tiered approach to lifting people out of poverty through: 1) a Hunger Relief Program that includes an Emergency Food Box and Cost Share Grocery Program, 2) a Crisis Center that stabilizes people in crisis through counseling and active referrals to services, and 3) Education and Employment Opportunity Programs that addresses the source of the problem and provides long term solutions for those in need toward self sufficiency. For more information about Harvest’s programs or volunteer opportunities visit www.harvestfoodoutreach.org.