Feed Palm Coast crosses $100,000 threshold, gives away food to 3,500 cars

Palm Coast Observer
News

After two weeks of planning and fundraising, the Mayor’s Feed Palm Coast Initiative culminated in a day to remember for the Palm Coast community.

By day’s end, all 10,000 boxes containing food for families were given away at the two distribution locations: Palm Coast City Hall and Parkview Church.

More than 3,500 combined cars passed through the two distribution lines, many containing more than one family. They were greeted under clear blue skies by hundreds of volunteers from faith-based organizations like Parkview Church and staff from the city of Palm Coast, city of Bunnell and Flagler County.

Additionally, cumulative financial donations to the Mayor’s Feed Palm Coast Initiative surpassed $100,000 on Saturday. The city originally set a goal of $10,000 raised for Feed Palm Coast and promptly blew past it within 24 hours. New goals of $15,000, $30,000, $50,000 and $75,000 were similarly exceeded in short order.

Among the contributions was $18,035 from Hammock Dunes residents, delivered by HOA President Ralph Dumke May 1.

All funds will continue to be used to purchase more food for the community.

“This has been an extraordinary day of giving and kindness,” said Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland, who spent the day providing food to residents at the City Hall location. “I am inspired by the overwhelming support this cause has received from so many different directions. I truly feel lucky to live in and represent such a caring community.”

Parkview Pastor Greg Peters was influential in organizing and providing the volunteers for both locations.

“Today’s event was a one-two punch for families needing food,” said Peters, who led efforts at the Parkview Church location on Saturday. “We believe they came for food and also found hope and joy. From donors to volunteers, we were able to share our five loaves and two fish to feed thousands. This is what it looks like to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. I am so thankful for our mayor’s leadership and our community’s response. This was a huge win in the midst of a tough season.”

“This has been an extraordinary day of giving and kindness.”

MILISSA HOLLAND, Palm Coast mayor

All volunteers were fed for free by the incredible generosity of Denise Duffy, who owns and operates the Bruster's Real Ice Cream and Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs franchise located in Palm Coast. They received hotdogs, ice cream, chips and water.

“It’s been such a wonderful day seeing our community come together,” said Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson, who spent hours under the Florida sun greeting residents and providing food. “To see the need and then help fulfill the need has been gratifying to all of us. We’re coming together for a worthy cause, and it truly humbles my heart to be a part of it.”

“In more than two decades of governmental work, I have never seen an event like this planned and executed to this scale,” said Palm Coast City Manager Matthew Morton. “It’s incredibly gratifying to see this humanitarian vision become a reality and know that we have the resources and infrastructure to rise up for our community in these unprecedented circumstances.”

Face masks donated

Brian and Jacki Unger are used to planning ahead for their community. They are Palm Coast residents and members of AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation's 20/20 Society, whose 100 members pledged to donate $1,000 over 10 years to raise $1 million, which will assist in advancing the health care available within Flagler County by the year 2020.

Over a month ago, the Ungers anticipated the need for masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and purchased thousands of KN95 masks for AdventHealth Palm Coast with the hope that they would be needed by the community one day — and they were used for volunteers at the Feed Palm Coast Initiative on May 2.

AdventHealth Palm Coast representatives and the Ungers visited City Hall on April 28 to deliver 5,000 KN95 masks for Feed Palm Coast.

“I can’t thank Jacki and Brian enough for their generous donation,” said Dr. Ron Jimenez, CEO of AdventHealth Palm Coast. “Being able to ‘pay this gift forward’ and pass out directly to our residents through the Mayor’s Feed Palm Coast Initiative really worked out well for everyone. Thank you to the Ungers and the City of Palm Coast."

“The Ungers have continuously shown how deeply they care about the health and well-being of this community,” said Mayor Milissa Holland. “I am extremely grateful to them and AdventHealth for continuing to provide the highest level of care for our community, even beyond the walls of the hospital."