StarMetro delivered more than 3,000 pounds of food to Second Harvest as a result of its “Stuff the Bus” campaign today.
A StarMetro bus drove the donated food to Second Harvest,where volunteers unloaded the food into two containers for employees to store the food in the warehouse.
Patricia Day, community relations coordinator for Second Harvest, said the non-perishable food will benefit people in Tallahassee and surrounding counties.
“One out of six people in America are hungry,” Day said. “We serve 11 counties. That one out of six [and] one out of four number impacts us immediately. It’s our neighbors, it’s our children, it’s our children’s friends, it’s those seniors.”
The campaign began at the end of January as part of StarMetro’s mission of putting “caring in motion.” StarMetro collected non-perishable items on all of its buses and at more than 30 local partner locations in hopes of filling an entire bus to benefit the food bank.
Around 20 volunteers unloaded boxes and cans from the bus.
Miaisha Mitchell, an employee for the Tallahassee Food Network, volunteered because she believes it is important to give to people who are in need.
“Second Harvest is doing something that is magnificent by feeding America,” Mitchell said. “We are providing people with opportunities that probably wouldn’t come otherwise.”
Shontina Alan, a grant writer and consultant, also participated in the event. She said some people don’t have opportunities to purchase food, so this event will help the community.
“We all can relate to feeling hungry throughout the day,” Alan said. “I think about what if a person doesn’t have access to food.”
Day said this event would not have happened without the community involvement.
“This is a community effort,” Day said. “It’s special. It’s positively incredible. We are going to feed people; that’s why it’s so important.”