ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Ahead of the fall semester coming to a close across Orange County, more than 3,400 families on Saturday received free healthy food options.
The distributions were spread out across the county, giving students and families access to nutritious meals during the winter break.
Susan Williams told News 6 Saturday’s food giveaway was right on time. She has five grandkids and was at the Evans High School drive-up distribution event.
“Very thankful,” Williams said. “It’s going to help me starting today. It’s a big help, a big help.”
It was all in partnership with OCPS and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
“The smiles on their faces, the look of relief that this is not going to be a worry for them, not right,” OCPS superintendent Maria Vazquez said.
The giveaways took place outside of nine schools on Saturday. They were held at Evans High, Oak Ridge High, Apopka Elementary, Englewood Elementary, Ivey Lane Elementary, Lawton Chiles Elementary, Maxey Elementary, Rock Lake Elementary and Tangelo Elementary.
Families got a free ham, free produce, vegetables and other nutritious meals this holiday season.
“Sometimes we lose sight that during the holidays, they’re not in school and do not have access to the lunches, free and reduced lunch programs,” said Derrick Chubbs, president and CEO of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
“This event is so important because our students get a chance to go and think of someone other than themselves,” Evans High Principal Kenya Nelson-Warren said.
She knows the need in the community.
“We have a lot of students who have multiple families under one household, so when you have five families living under one household that can be challenging to the pockets,” she said.
Evans High School senior Roberson Labranche said he wanted to volunteer and get results for others.
“I love serving my community any chance I can get and it’s the holiday season,” he said.
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