ORLANDO, Fla. – Dozens of local veterans came out on Friday to get free groceries at Elks Lodge in Orlando.
“It feels great because we really, really, needed it,” veteran Gilda Porter said.
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Porter was one of the first veterans to line up for the food pantry and explained the last two years have not been easy.
“We got caught up with COVID and our area sometimes didn’t have anything and there’s so many people that don’t have this year,” she said.
The Soldiers’ Angels program along with Lockheed Martin teamed up to gather more than 200 bags filled with all sorts of foods and produce.
“I love to come and meet with my brothers and sisters. It gives back to the people who gave to us and with all the conflicts in this country people don’t realize all the sacrifices people make,” veteran Randy Blomgrem said.
Despite the heat on Friday, volunteers worked to make sure volunteers and their families got enough food to last them for days.
U.S. Navy veteran and Soldiers’ Angels volunteer, Sophia Atkinson, has been volunteering since 2019 and helps organize rides for vets who can’t drive to the food pantry.
“It means a lot to see there’s so many people dedicated providing for veterans. And every month we provide 210 veterans with 75 pounds of food and it’s just amazing,” Atkinson said.
To learn more about Soldiers’ Angels, click here https://soldiersangels.org/.
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: