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Farm Share's Latest Orlando Food Drop on Saturday is at a Local Church. Organizers Say That's Not By Accident.

Photo: Samantha Sophia
Photo: Samantha Sophia

The nonprofit Farm Share is working with the faith community in Orlando to distribute food to people in need. Farm Share will hold a drive thru event at Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church Saturday, with help from Orlando City Commissioner Bakari Burns.  

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Farm Share will provide a week’s worth of fresh produce and canned goods for about 500 families. 

Marketing Director Gil Zepeda says there’s a reason the nonprofit is teaming up with the faith community. 

“We do find that when people are most in need they go at times to their religious institutions, and a lot of times that involves their churches, our synagogues and mosques. And so we are making sure that we are empowering all the churches that we can in the state of Florida in order to give them the food that they need to be able to feed their parishioners and their communities.”

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In short, Zepeda says it’s easier for people to feel more comfortable getting food at their local house of worship.

“They feel that they are understood, they feel that they’re going to a safe place so sort of a shelter of all sorts. And so, we do find that when folks do come to the churches they feel more protected.”

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Commissioner Bakari Burns says anyone participating in Saturday’s event must stay in their car and wear a face mask in order to receive food.

"We have about fifty volunteers that will be loading your trunk so you don’t have to get out. You don’t even have to roll down your window if you don’t want to. Just pop your trunk and we have volunteers that will load your trunk and then you just drive on through.”

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The event starts at 10 am and lasts until supplies run out.

Danielle Prieur covers education in Central Florida.