Farm Share to supply food for 1,000 Santa Rosa families

Editor’s Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on nonprofit organizations that improve Santa Rosa County residents’ quality of life.

MILTON — Tobacco Free Santa Rosa from 9:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 4 is hosting the food donation event, Farm Share, at the Guy Thompson Community Center, 5627 Byrom St.

Volunteers will help distribute free, fresh, nutritious food to feed over 1,000 families. Health education resources will also be provided.

TFSR is working with local schools, churches and businesses to collect new socks for donation as well.

Volunteers and vendors need to get in touch with the Department of Health by Wednesday to register for Saturday’s event. TFSR needs 150 volunteers, according to Gina Rosso, Florida DOH health educator and county Students Working Against Tobacco coordinator.

Vendors need to contact Detta Barrett at 564-2255 or detta.barrett@flhealth.gov to find out how to register.

Volunteers need to contact Sarah Dawson or Faye Henry at 983-5220 or 516-9367. They can also email sed26@students.uwf.edu or fayhenry003@gmail.com to find out how to register.

Volunteer tasks include assisting with the food distribution, registering participants to receive food, directing traffic and being a floater, according to Rosso.

“We’re still looking for sock donations,” Rosso said. “New, unopened socks of any size. Drop them off at the health department.”

The Florida Department of Health is at 5527 Stewart St. in Milton.

Those interested in receiving food should come to the 9:30 a.m. event early, according to Rosso.

“It is a drive-through event,” Rosso said.”Participants will wait in their vehicles and be asked registration information (such as) if they are on any government assistance, how many people live in household, their ZIP code. There are no limitations or stipulations to receive food. It’s first come, first served.”

Food will include both perishable and nonperishable items, Rosso said, fresh fruits and vegetables donated from Florida farmers.

While the event is drive-through, participants will also be able to park and visit vendors at the event. If they don’t, they’ll still receive a page with community partner information.

WHAT: Tobacco Free Santa Rosa Farm Share food donation event

WHERE: Guy Thompson Community Center, 5627 Byrom St.

WHEN: Participants arrive 9:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 4; volunteers arrive 7 a.m.; vendors arrive 7:30 a.m.; and a food truck will arrive at 8 a.m.

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This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Farm Share to supply food for 1,000 Santa Rosa families