Fighting Hunger: Community Efforts to Address Food Insecurity

Written by: Keya Gambhir

In Niceville, Florida, the community is coming together to fight food insecurity through the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. This event, which takes place on Saturday, May 10, is part of the largest single-day food drive in the country and plays an important role in providing food for those in need.

Here’s how it works:

1. You and your family gather non-perishable food like canned goods, pasta, rice, and peanut butter.

2. On May 10, place the items by your mailbox before your mail carrier arrives.

3. The mail carrier will pick up your donation and deliver it to local charities, like Sharing & Caring of Niceville, where it will be sorted and distributed to families facing hunger.

The goal is to help people in the Niceville area, and the food donations will be put to good use by those who need them most. Some of the food that’s especially needed includes:

• Canned meats (tuna or chicken)

• Canned fruits and vegetables

• Cereal, pasta, and rice

• Shelf-stable meals and peanut butter

This effort reminds us of similar initiatives like Purdue Ag Week’s Hammer Down Hunger, which recently packed a record 66,096 meals to fight food insecurity across Indiana. Purdue University’s agricultural students worked with Pack Away Hunger to distribute meals both locally and throughout central Indiana. The event partnered with organizations such as Swipe Out Starvation, which allowed Purdue students to donate unused meal swipes to those in need.

While Purdue Ag Week reaches students and communities far and wide, Stamp Out Hunger focuses on Niceville, ensuring that families right in our area have enough to eat. Volunteers at Sharing & Caring of Niceville will help sort all the donations and make sure the food gets to the people who need it most.

But it’s not just about one-day events. If you’re planning to garden this spring, consider taking part in the Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign, which encourages home gardeners to donate some of their harvest to food pantries and soup kitchens. Started in 1995, the campaign has led to over 20 million pounds of produce donated to feed the hungry. By planting an extra row in your garden or donating surplus produce from your garden, you can contribute directly to helping your community.

Remember:

• Date: Saturday, May 10

  • Location: Only in Niceville, Florida

• How to help: Collect non-perishable food and leave it by your mailbox for the mail carrier to pick up, or plant an extra row in your garden and donate the harvest to a local food pantry.

Whether you’re helping out in Niceville or supporting other local efforts like Purdue’s initiative or Plant a Row, your contribution counts! Together, we can Stamp Out Hunger and make a positive impact on food insecurity in our community.

Visit AmpleHarvest.org to find drop-off sites near you and see how you can get involved in your local food security efforts.