NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, FL — Safe Families of North Florida in Tallahassee had to cancel its distribution this week due to a lack of resources. Organizers are now asking the public for donations to help them meet the rising need.
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Safe Families of North Florida in Northeast Tallahassee usually serves hundreds of families, but the food pantry had to close its doors this week due to a lack of resources.
Volunteers say the need doesn’t stop and neither do the people depending on them. For the past two years, the pantry has been a lifeline for Tallahassee families. Operating like a walk-in grocery store, it serves entire networks of neighbors helping neighbors.
But this week was a perfect storm. Limited usable food from suppliers and a growing demand for ready-to-eat meals left shelves nearly empty.
"With private donations, you get the items that slip through the cracks when you’re just getting, you know, whatever, like, a warehouse has a surplus or anything like that and so often those are the donations that really are the most meaningful to the individuals who are receiving," Safe Families Food Pantry Director Jon Nicholson said.
"So when weeks like this one come around, we try to bolster people up in the future weeks. But, you know, typically what we would do is we would rely on the nonperishable, and since we just ran out of that supply, now we’re building up for anybody who does come to the door tomorrow, but also just for future weeks so that we’re ready for any other time that we just have a perfect storm like this one," Jon Nicholson said.
Even with distribution canceled, organizers say they are preparing for people to show up anyway, looking for help. Volunteers say they know how essential their work is, and they are going to do everything they can to help.
"It is so impactful when you see people come in week after week, and you make those relationships with them, and you get to know them by name, and you know a little bit about their story, and you can tangibly give them something that is so incredibly helpful," Safe Families Food Pantry volunteer Sarah Nicholson said.
Organizers will be at the pantry on Wednesday from 12 to 2, collecting donations to try and meet the need in real time. They are asking the community for ready-to-eat nonperishable food, hygiene items, household essentials, and anything to make sure no one leaves empty-handed.
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