Marion County set to host “Bring the Harvest Home” food drive

Yoslandy Herrera of Marion County Fire Rescue, center, carries donated food as Commissioner Kathy Bryant, right, talks with Keller Williams realtor Crystal McCall, left, who donated food and money during the Bring The Harvest Home food drive on the Ocala Downtown Square. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Home » Community

Posted December 1, 2021 | By Joel Bronson
joel@ocalagazette.com

Marion County businesses and residents will have the opportunity to help those in need this holiday season by participating in the “Bring the Harvest Home” food drive.

The effort to collect canned food and toiletry items is a joint venture between the Marion County Board of County Commissioners and Interfaith Emergency Services.

“There’s a great need for food drives such as this one,” Karla Greenway, Interfaith CEO, said in a statement. Greenway also highlighted high-need items such as canned vegetables and meats, macaroni and cheese, as well as pasta and sauces.

Some of the items needed are:

• Dry foods and complementary goods (rice, pasta and sauces, cereal, crackers, peanut butter, jelly) in plastic containers if possible.
• Canned meats (corned beef, ham and tuna
• Canned vegetables and fruits.
• Baby items (baby cereal, diapers, lotion).
• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and toilet paper).

Donations can be dropped off at Ocala’s Downtown Square on December 3^rd from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or at many other locations through December 2^nd.

Donations will help fill local pantries for the Salvation Army, Interfaith Emergency Services, and Brother’s Keeper.

Those early drop-off locations include:

• Public libraries.
• City and county fire stations.
• Marion County Solid Waste recycling centers.
• Sheriff’s district offices.
• Tax collector’s offices.
• Ocala Police Department.
• Supervisor of Elections.
• Ocala city hall.
• Marion County administrative offices.
• Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Economic Partnership.

For more information on the “Bring the Harvest Home” holiday food drive, please visit www.bringtheharvesthome.com or facebook.com/marioncountyflorida.