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Nourished, Summer 2023

Nourished, Summer 2023, newsletter headline

No contribution is too small

Every food drive, fund drive, and monetary gift makes a difference in providing meals for our neighbors in need. Ms. Morisset, Boynton Beach Community High School Science Teacher, showed that when she inspired her chapter of National Honor Society students to give back this spring. 


Between February and April, Morisset motivated her students to gather food to fill two of our three-foot tall food drive cardboard bins. The students collected 61 pounds of food to provide 51 meals for our Partner Marketplace partner agencies! Ms. Morisset says, “We hope to increase this number even more so next school year!”


You can start a food drive today. It’s easy. After filling out the Food Bank’s food drive request form on our website, our Community Engagement Coordinator, will reach out to assist you with collection bins, picking up your donations, and setting up your fund drive page if you are raising funds.


Read more about food drives held for the Food Bank below.

one dollar donation note from child to food bank
Boynton Beach Community High National Honor Society food drive

Small acts of kindness. 

This young donor’s $1 gift, which she so generously 

contributes from her allowance, will provide 

five meals to our Palm Beach County neighbors in need 

this summer.

When you give, you turn hunger into hope.

I will give as an act of kindness

CEO's Desk

Dear Neighbor,


Many big, transformational changes are underway at the Food Bank, but many small, inspirational moments made up this year. Looking back at this spring and where we are headed this summer, I’m reminded of the small acts of kindness that provided more than 11 million meals to our Palm Beach County neighbors over the past 12 months.


With Hunger Action Month approaching in September, no action is too small. We offer several opportunities to take action through our robust volunteer program, monthly food drive campaigns, event partnerships, and online giving. Because orange is the official color of hunger, I also encourage you to wear orange on Hunger Action Day, September 23, to raise awareness about the food insecurity 132,000 of our neighbors face here at home. 


Together, we are nourishing our neighbors in need with nutritious food they can depend on. I cannot thank you enough for your support in providing hunger assistance for our community. Your acts of kindness are what move our mission forward in alleviating hunger.


With gratitude,


Jamie Kendall, CEO

TAKE ACTION and GIVE TODAY
Lois Pope with Chloe_Lois' Food4Kids

Lois Pope and LIFE's 29th Annual Lady in Red Gala


The Food Bank is once again one of two nonprofit recipients of Lois Pope and LIFE’s Lady in Red Gala proceeds. The extraordinary evening raised $450,000 for the Food Bank’s Childhood Hunger Initiatives Lois’ Food4Kids program! This incredible gift will provide 2.2 million meals!


Lois’ Food4Kids provides meals in backpacks to over 5,500 students and their families every weekend, summer, and throughout the holidays. We are immensely thankful to Lois Pope and LIFE for their tremendous support in alleviating hunger.

Corporate Spotlight


The results are in! After receiving 155,915 votes from Target shoppers, the Target Circle Giving Program donated $5,011.48 to the Palm Beach County Food Bank! With generous votes and funding, we will provide 25,055 meals to Palm Beach County neighbors experiencing food insecurity. This donation came from a larger pool of funds donated from Target to nonprofits tied to the local community.

Target Circle results are in
Florida Atlantic University American Marketing Association Food Drive

Florida Atlantic University American Marketing Association with FAU Beyond Food, lead by Eileen Acello, Food Bank Board member.


Students placed bins and original flyers in dorms. The food drive helped FAU Beyond Food apply to become a Food Bank partner agency so we can provide food to FAU students year-round!


1,154 meals

Anonymous donation of 9,362 pounds of food and a $55,365 gift to provide 284,627 meals! Over 15 pallets of food were collected.


284,627 meals

Country Club at Mirasol food drive

The Mirasol Foundation and community held a one-day drive in April where they collected 854 pounds of food. 


712 meals

On May 13, the 31st Annual National Association of Letter 

Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive collected 17,615 pounds of food!


14,679 meals

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive volunteers
Suffolk Construction Meal Build Food Drive

The Inaugural Meal Build Food Drive participants, Suffolk Construction, created a 4,300-canned food structure weighing 4,000 pounds using a 3D model with a team of 11 over 10 hours! 


3,334 meals


Thank you Suffolk and WPBF News 25 for 

covering Meal Build 2023.

A team of seven Food Bank staff designed a giant can weighing 855 pounds using 912 15-ounce cans to raise awareness about the hunger 132,000 of our neighbors face everyday.


713 meals


Join us in May 2024 for the 2nd Annual Meal Build 

Food Drive!

Palm Beach County Food Bank staff meal build giant can
Devonshire at PGA National

Devonshire at PGA National held their 2nd annual food drive in June to benefit the Food Bank. Flyers and thirteen donation bins were placed around the community for residents to easily donate shelf-stable foods.


717 meals

The Town of Lantana, Lantana Municipal Library, and the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce collected canned food under the leadership of Mayor Karen Lythgoe.


105 meals

Town of Lantana Food Drive
The Shake FL band food drive

The Shake FL jammed for a cause during their 2nd Shake and Bake Food Drive by donating all admissions (canned food and monetary) from their ten-band concert in June.


1,065 meals

We’re grateful to everyone who donated to, hosted, and supported a food drive. You turn hunger into hope for thousands of neighbors in need. It’s never too late to make a difference! For a schedule of monthly themed-food drives, visit our food donation page. 

The 10th Annual Empty Bowls Palm Beach was a record-breaking success. We raised over $136,000 to provide over 680,000 meals to our neighbors in need here at home!

 

Thank you to all our event sponsors, donating restaurants and chairs – Rick & Cordella Miessau, Johanna Reyers, Amy Sullivan, Byron & Laura Russell – for making the fundraiser an exceptional event. Save the date as plans are underway for next year’s event to be held on Friday, February 23, 2024.

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    Paul Leone (The Breakers) and Anne Flowers

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    2023 Empty Bowls Palm Beach Event Chairs (Left to  right) Johanna Reyers (Cugini Winery), Amy Sullivan (Sullivan Electric & Pump), Rick & Cordella Miessau

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    Laura Russell, Honorary Chair (Cheney Brothers) and Jamie Kendall, PBC Food Bank CEO

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Nancy Bolton Eileen Acello Empty Bowls in the Gardens event chairs

Join us next month on Saturday, September 30, for the 2nd Annual Empty Bowls in the Gardens hosted by Downtown Palm Beach Gardens! We are honored to present this year’s event chairs and board members Nancy Bolton and Eileen Acello (left). It will be a SOUP-er good time!


In the Fall, we hope to see you at the 8th Annual Empty Bowls Delray Beach on Saturday, December 9, at Trinity Delray Lutheran Church and School! This year’s magnificent event chairs are John and Diane Brewer (below). 

General admission tickets include soups from local restaurants, artisanal bread from Old School Bakery, bottled water, a hand-painted ceramic bowl, and a swag bag. VIP ticket guests also receive catered light bites and alcoholic beverages. We are looking forward to a fantastic season of Empty Bowls. Let’s eat simply so others may simply eat! 

For more information, restaurants, and sponsorships, visit 

our Events page.

John Brewer Diane Brewer Empty Bowls Delray Beach event chairs
Palm Beach County food bank volunteer, Larry Kessler

Larry’s commitment to service began during his time with the USDA, where he worked supporting food banks. After retiring, Larry felt called to continue his work in South Florida. Larry volunteers because he believes, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” Thank you so much for the 100-plus service hours you’ve given to our community! 


Without volunteers we would need to hire 25 employees. That would cost the Food Bank over one million dollars a year! Our volunteers are priceless. We appreciate you all!

This student is one of 38,000 children living in a food-insecure household. He does not always know what he will eat or when.

Programs

Our Programs team works day in and day out to serve over 200 partner agencies in the county, including schools, churches, shelters, soup kitchens, and food pantries. Liz, Senior Manager of Hunger Relief, Zekera, Childhood Hunger Initiatives Manager, and Johanna, Program Coordinator, make sure our Partner Marketplace, Pop-Up Farmers Market, Groceries for Seniors, and Childhood Hunger Initiatives nourish an average of 200,000 community neighbors monthly. 

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