Tens of thousands of Floridians have received meals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to the efforts of Feed the Need Florida, a statewide public and private collaboration led by Orlando nonprofit 4Roots and 4 Rivers Restaurant Group, along with a network of local restaurants and hospitality industry organizations. Since launching in late March, the program has reached a new milestone of meals served, distributing more than half a million meals in just eight weeks.
Coming alongside various partners in the public and private sector, the program established a system to receive produce directly from Florida farmers, preserve and create jobs (more than 250), and prepare nutritious meals to be served to thousands throughout Florida.
“We are so pleased that Feed The Need Florida could help so many people who are food-insecure throughout the state,” said John Rivers, CEO and founder of 4Roots and 4R Restaurant Group. “This milestone is emblematic of how big the need is in Florida, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. We look forward to walking alongside others to keep serving and filling in gaps for as long as neighbors in our state need access to fresh, nutritious meals.”
Earlier this month, Feed the Need Florida announced the expansion of its efforts geographically and in a variety of different ways to address the many needs across the state, including serving meals in new counties like Broward, Gadsden, Leon and Osceola and enlisting the help of new partners in the network like Social Catering & Events in Tallahassee and Oceans 234 in Deerfield Beach.
Part of Feed the Need Florida’s reach across the state has included a broad network of restaurant and catering partners to address community hunger. In partnership with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), Feed the Need Florida created a network of 845 restaurants representing more than 250 brands to serve Floridians in need and preserve jobs.
Take Action
Individuals and corporations can participate in two ways:
- Donate now at feedtheneedfl.org. Individual, foundation and corporate donations are welcome.
- Spread the word and encourage others to contribute to support Feed the Need Florida via social media using the hashtag #FeedtheNeedFL.
For more information, visit feedtheneedfl.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
ABOUT FEED THE NEED FLORIDA
Feed the Need Florida is a statewide public and private collaboration to feed those who are struggling with getting access to healthy food during the COVID-19 crisis. The effort is led by Orlando nonprofit 4Roots and the 4 Rivers Restaurant Group, along with a network of local restaurants and hospitality industry organizations. 4 Rivers is the lead restaurant partner in this effort, leveraging its 4 Rivers BBQ resources to support the meal preparation and distribution across the state in coordination with a network of other local businesses and organizations. For more information, visit feedtheneedfl.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
