Feeding the Gulf Coast Gulf Coast and Santa Rosa Bridges Out of Poverty. Each organization received a total of $10,000, after the money was raised by Knights of Columbus through the event. This year, the local Stamp Out Hunger Drive received over 26,000 pounds of food. To divvy up the donations and aid in distribution, post offices of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were divided up among local hunger fighting organizations. However, all donations made in Pace and Milton went directly to Feeding the Gulf Coast. Feeding the Gulf Coast is also in charge of several area programs, including the Mobile Pantry and Retail Store Level Pickup programs—two separate but cooperating programs. Typically, when we think of food donation drives, our mind 42 | PENSACOLA MAGAZINE conjures images up of canned and other dry goods. However, the Retail Store Level Pickup program gives Feeding the Gulf Coast’s food bank and its agencies access to a variety of foods, including fresh foods like produce, dairy, meat and bread. This is a feat the food bank wouldn’t be able to accomplish without the help of local retail grocery chains, who pull products nearing their expiration Jeremy Ellis, Distribution Center Associate date from the shelves to donate to Feeding the Gulf Coast instead of throwing the items away. The food bank began recruiting agencies to pick up food directly from the retail stores in 2013, which enables Feeding the Gulf Coast to use fewer resources like trucks, employees and monetary donations, while also helping to get the food into the hands of those who need it that much quicker. In Escambia and Santa Rosa, Feeding the Gulf Coast received over 2.4 million pounds of food from 42 participating retailers in both counties. These retailers included Walmart, Target, Publix, Winn-Dixie and military commissaries. Feeding the Gulf Coast served almost 800,000 pounds of food in 2015, which was distributed through 67 mobile pantries in Escambia and Santa Rosa. On the other hand, the Mobile Pantry program provides at least 5,000 pounds of various groceries from fresh produce and frozen meats to canned and dry good items. With each distribution, 100 to 120 families in need can be served. All food is distributed and delivered the same day it is received, relieving the need for partner agencies to store the food. To help partner agencies sponsor these distributions by the Mobile Pantry program, Feeding the Gulf Coast handles securing funds through obtaining grants. Furthermore, to promote nutrition education in all ages of the community, Feeding the Gulf Over the“ years, our service area has grown to over 20,000 square miles, including parts of three states and 24 counties, seven of which are in Florida.” The Mobile Pantry program 67 Mobile Pantries 5,000 Pounds of Food Feeds 100–120 Families $1 Donation = 5 Meals Jermany Johnson, Distribution Center Associate + Gregg Gullickson, Retail Store Donation Coordinator
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