Mother’s Day looks a little different this year for all of us. We hope your family is spoiling you at home and making you feel so loved. In lieu of fun family outings and gift guides, we’re taking a moment to tell you about a truly special group making an impact in Central Florida.
Feed the Need Florida was created as a 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 March, the program has already served more than 200,000 meals and generated over 240 jobs statewide.
Feed the Need began by partnering alongside the local public school systems throughout the state to provide donated meals to the many extended family members and others in the community in need. Meals are currently provided to students but where there is a child in need, there is a family in need. Feed the Need steps in to fill that gap.
As with their restaurants, food is how the Rivers family brings community together. And now more than ever, that’s so important. Friday’s community feeding event took place with a special Mother’s Day twist. Spatulas were generously donated by Florida Dairy and printed sentiment cards with inspiring quotes from Monica Rivers (co-founder of 4R Restaurant Group) and Kay Rawlins (President, Orlando City Foundation) were given to all moms who picked up meals. Right now we find joy in the little things and imagine how much those beautiful gestures meant to those in need.
Feed the Need Florida is also meeting the food needs of seniors and other community members. Coming alongside various partners in the public and private sector, the program establishes a system to receive produce directly from Florida farmers, preserve and create jobs, and prepare nutritious meals to be served to thousands throughout Florida.
Feed the Need Florida is creating solutions to help fill in where there are meal gaps, and is expanding its efforts geographically and in a variety of different ways to address the many needs across the state, including:
- More Florida Counties: Helping to feed food-insecure students and their families has grown beyond Orange County Public Schools to now include other school districts in the state, including Broward County, Gadsden County, Leon County, and Osceola County. To help in these efforts, Feed the Need Florida has partnered with locally owned Social Catering & Events in Tallahassee to serve in Gadsden County, and locally owned Oceans 234 in Deerfield Beach to serve Broward County.
- Meals of Love: Feed the Need Florida is coming alongside the Meals of Love program in Leon, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties to help connect isolated seniors and disabled adults with local food providers. The network of restaurants providing meals includes 4 Rivers, The COOP and a growing list of local favorites such as Bosphorous, Greens & Grille, and Puff ‘n Stuff Catering.
- City of Winter Park: Sponsored by the City of Winter Park, Feed the Need Florida has partnered with local restaurants Black Bean Deli, Agave Azul, 4 Rivers, Hunger Street Tacos, and The Ravenous Pig to provide meals to Winter Park neighbors in need three times a week.
How You Can Help
- Donate if you can at feedtheneedfl.org. 4Roots is in need of monetary donations as well as food donations from restaurants, the hospitality industry and other corporations.
- 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.
