By Nick Anschultz News Reporter/Editor
Apr 25, 2024
CHIEFLAND — Bread of the Mighty, a Gainesville-based food bank and branch of Feeding Northeast Florida, recently hosted a large-scale food distribution event.
The distribution event took place Friday at Chiefland Methodist Church and featured not only fresh produce and shelf-stable goods, but also locally-sourced beef that came directly from Chiefland-based cattle ranch, Quincey Cattle Company.
“We’re really excited to be out here at our monthly mobile distribution in Chiefland,” Patrick Dodds, executive director of Bread of the Mighty, said in an interview. “Today (Friday) is extra special because it’s a monthlong culmination of partnership between Feeding Florida, Bread of the Mighty, and Feeding Northeast Florida, and...Don and Donna Quincey from Quincey Cattle Farm.”
The beef offered at Friday’s distribution event was sourced and purchased from Quincey Cattle through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA).
“Those are state funds that have been allocated across the state of Florida to our network of food banks to purchase locally-grown, locally-raised food and provide to the community in need,” Dodds said of the LFPA.
“Feeding Northeast Florida and Bread of the Mighty have been fortunate to receive some of those funds.”
Dodds said “the heart of it is neighbors feeding neighbors.”
Prior to the start of the distribution event, a line had formed outside of the methodist church’s pavilion almost to U.S. Highway 19, as people patiently stood or sat with baskets, carts, etc. in hand or beside them.
Don Quincey, owner of Quincey Cattle, said seeing that line of people was “very humbling.”
"When I pulled up here and saw the number of people that were lined up here to get food, it was very humbling,” he said in an interview.
Once the event got underway, Don and Donna Quincey could be seen placing ground beef and sausage from their ranch into brown paper bags and handing them to folks as they made their way through the line.
“Beef is one of the best proteins there is out there,” Don Quincey said. “It’s nutritious. It’s delicious. (It has) lots of vitamins and minerals – particularly iron.
“It’s a great add to the home diet.”
Friday’s distribution event was equipped to serve up to 400 households. And Dodds noted that they are seeing a need for food assistance becoming greater.
“I don’t know anybody that hasn’t had an impact on their pocketbook with the rising costs of food,” he said.
Dodds said what they want to do as a food bank is let the people know that they’ve got their food covered so those difficult decisions, such as filling a flat tire, paying rent, etc., don’t have to be made.
“We’ll cover the food. And we’ll make sure that we’re also advocating to reduce the barriers, reduce the costs and increase access to affordable food for the community,” he said.
“But in the meantime. We’re going to bridge that gap and make sure that you can still put nutritious food on the table for your family.”
Source: Article Published by the Levy Citizen on April 25, 2024