US (FL): Southeast Produce Council donates produce

As part of a commitment to social responsibility and in an ongoing effort to support local charities, the Southeast Produce Council and its members donated more than 40,000 pounds of produce to the Society of St. Andrew, at the conclusion of the Council’s Southern Exposure Conference in Tampa, FL.

Amanda Rich, Florida Program Coordinator for the Society of St. Andrew said, “The Society gleans millions of pounds of fresh produce every year in Florida but to have the chance to glean the premium food at the Southern Exposure Conference is a true blessing to the feeding agencies we distribute to. This food is brought to the conference because it is the best of the best and instead of having to pay to ship it back home the exhibitors have the chance to do something truly amazing – help feed thousands of struggling and hungry families in the local area. No words will ever be able to describe the joy and relief you see in someone’s face when they realize they will get to eat tonight; now imagine their surprise when it is more than just canned goods, it is top quality foods and fresh produce – the Southern Exposure Conference makes that possible each year”.

David Sherrod, Second Vice-President of the Southeast Product Council said, “Members of the Southeast Produce Council are firmly committed and proud to support organizations whose goal is to have a positive impact in the community. The Council has partnered with the Society of St. Andrew for several years and is proud to have an opportunity to supply healthy, nutritious produce to those that might otherwise not have access. The Society of St. Andrew distributed the produce donation to 8 separate feeding programs to help those that are struggling with hunger.”

The Society of St. Andrew opened the Florida regional office in 1995 and since that time more than 29 million pounds of fresh produce have reached Floridians in need. This has been accomplished through the Gleaning Network and the Potato and Produce Project and has resulted in about 90 million servings of food being delivered.
The Southeast Produce Council, formed in 1999, is a non-profit organization with the goals; to promote the consumption of fresh fruits & vegetables in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia through good fellowship; promote cooperation and mutual interest among its members; and instill a high sense of professionalism and loyalty to each other and support charitable causes in the Southeast communities.