Did you ever hear the expression?  “Don’t put all your apples in one basket”  Well The Volunteer Way made that mistake. We have been distributing U.S.D.A. commodities for years and thought it would go on forever. Well guess what, it is not going on forever. Starting March 2004 the Department of Agriculture has changed the way they will handle U.S.D.A. commodities. Before March 2004 there were over 80 different contracts to distribute U.S.D.A. commodities in Florida, now there are less then 20 contracts. This would not be a problem if all contract holders only wanted to get the commodities on the tables of hungry children, seniors and working poor. Some of the contract holders are using their contracts to force pantries to go to their warehouses where they can sell their other food products for a handling fee.

 

Well all this looks very grim, but not to worry, God has a plan. With fewer commodities since March 2004 we still distributed 4,000,000 pounds of food to needy people of Florida free of any fees. We have found two new sources of food and we are seeking a grant to bring more food into Florida. After the first of the year we may have an opportunity to receive an additional steady supply of food for the needy of Florida.

 

We received the contract for U.S.D.A. commodities for Citrus County and have expanded that county’s food supply. In 2004 we helped to open more food pantries and soup kitchen plus we continued the mass distribution of food to the low income families of Citrus County. Every three months we do a mass distribution of U.S.D.A. commodities plus we share our other sources of food at that mass distribution of food in Citrus County. We will start a mass distribution of food  in Pasco County in 2005 with the food we receive from our out of state sources. The food bank that received the U.S.D.A. commodity contract has stopped the mass distribution in Pasco County so we will do it with our food.

 

I believe that the year 2005 will be the greatest year for growth for The Volunteer Way, God is moving in a mighty way. For those that are serving the needy now, please don’t despair we will prevail. If you feel you can not carry on, please call or write to us and we will stand side by side together and we will be victorious.