Holiday food drive will run through Dec. 6

Pallets loaded with food from Bring The Harvest Home is shown at the Reuben Brawner Food Distribution Warehouse at Interfaith Emergency Services in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2023.

The 2024 Bring the Harvest Home holiday food drive is underway and will help fill pantries for Interfaith Emergency Services, Brother’s Keeper, the Salvation Army and Veterans Helping Veterans.

The drive, which kicked off Nov. 5, is now in its 15th year. Drop-off locations include public libraries, city and county fire stations, county recycling centers, Marion County Sheriff’s Office district offices and tax collector offices, as well as offices such as the supervisor of elections, clerk of court, Ocala City Hall, county administration and the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership.

The most needed items are:
• Food such as rice, pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, crackers, peanut butter and jelly (and plastic containers are preferred)
• Canned meats, including corned beef, corned beef hash, ham and tuna
• Canned vegetables and fruits
• Baby items including cereal, diapers and lotion
• Toiletries, such as soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste and toilet paper

The collection will culminate with a massive drop-off event from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 6, on the Ocala downtown square.

“Every year we brace ourselves for an increase in families looking to us for help during the holidays. This year we know the need will be more than usual due to the impact inflation is having on many households. Bring The Harvest Home has become the ‘jump start’ that we need to stock our pantry for the Christmas holiday,” said Karla Greenway, CEO of Interfaith Emergency Services.

“It’s such a testament to our city and county leadership who champion this event for the sake of their constituents. On this one day they unite us all for the greater good to help our neighbors in need,” she added, speaking of the final day of the drive.

“Brother’s Keeper is dedicated to serving those in need in our community. Over the years, Bring the Harvest Home has been a huge contributor to the work we do during the holiday season. The food donations that we have received through Bring the Harvest Home has helped thousands of men, women, and children through the years. It seems that the needs of our community increase every year, so we are very grateful for the generosity of everyone who donates food to help their neighbors in need,” said Jason Halstead, executive director of Brother’s Keeper, a ministry of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church.

Donations during the 2023 holiday food drive brought in 21,000 pounds of food and $12,000 in monetary donations, according to Marion County officials.

Donations for this year’s drive may be dropped off at locations throughout the county until Dec. 5 and during the Dec. 6 event on the square.

To learn more, including a list of drop-off sites, go to marionfl.org/bhh