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The Loaves & Fish Food Pantry,
located at The William M. Neece Center, is a resource provided by  and for the Monroe County community specifically for individuals or
families who are either homeless, at risk of becoming homeless or in
need.
Food for the pantry is donated from
local churches, individuals, food drives and from the USDA.
A Loaves & Fish
Food Voucher is required to receive food. Individuals must go to a
Monroe County social service agency or church and request a food
voucher for the Loaves & Fish Food Pantry. Individuals must qualify
their needs to the agency or church.
The Loaves &
Fish Food Pantry is open for food distribution Monday - Friday from
9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. at 2221 Patterson Ave., Key
West.
The Pantry serves people
regardless of religious, ethnic or political affiliation. Each
client is given approximately a three day food supply to supplement
other food resources. Clients are often referred to additional
community resources to meet their needs.
This is a one-time emergency food supply for three days.
September 2009
Navy Steps Up To Feed the Hungry
(KW)
Naval Air Station Executive Officer Mike Giardino and chief Petty Officer Joe Shellito prepare a box of food to load into an FKOC Van during the base's recent food drive. The food will be distributed to needy families and homeless individuals through FKOC's Loaves and Fish Food Pantry. Over 8 tons of non-perishable goods were donated.
May 9, 2009
United States Post Office
Letter Carriers Canned Food Drive
 
FKOC
Men's Program Staff and Clients take a break after unloading over 2,600 pounds of canned and dry goods donated to Loaves and Fish Food Pantry by the United States Post Office from their Letter Carriers Canned Food Drive, May 9, 2009.
 
Postal Workers Deliver for Needy!
Volunteers at the Loaves and Fish Food Pantry take a break unloading nonperishable food collected from Key West Residents by United States Postal Workers on Saturday.
The pantry is an anti-hunger initiative co-sponsored by the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition and St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
Local Postal Workers Collected over 9-tons of food for distribution to needy families in the community.
Food bill passes, helps homeless
By Alyson Crean acrean@keynoter.com
Restaurants could assist food pantries
With a simple sentence the Florida Legislature could fill a few more empty bellies. A bill that adds restaurant meals to a list of foods that can be provided to the needy has passed both houses of the Legislature.
Named for the middle school student who started it all, the Jack Davis Florida Restaurant Lending a Helping Hand Act will allow food prepared by restaurants to be distributed to homeless shelters. Unless it is vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist, the bill would become law on July 1.
Already, perishable foods from grocery stores, bakeries and other retailers have been approved for donation. This bill adds to the definition foods that have been prepared at a public food service establishment licensed under state law.
I am very hopeful it will benefit the residential facilities, particularly those for women and children, said Rev. Stephen Braddock, executive director of the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition for the homeless.
Social service budgets are getting hammered as the Legislature looks to shave billions off of the current state budget. A slowed economy has brought in less revenue than had been anticipated when the 2007-08 budget was crafted, and the Legislature is trying to play catch up.
The budget cuts will reduce our ability to purchase bulk food, said Braddock. I'm hoping, with this bill, that restaurants, caterers and private clubs might step up and help.
He said he'd like to see these businesses sponsor dinners to aid shelters.
Many restaurants and public food service establishments have expressed a desire to donate food to homeless service providers and shelters, said Lesa Weikel in a statement released Thursday. However, most have been reluctant to do so because of the liability that may result.
Weikel is a Tampa-based spokeswoman for the Florida Coalition for the Homeless.
Davis is likely one proud sixth grader. The 11-year-old student from the Ransom Everglades prep school came up with the idea as part of a social studies project after noticing the huge amounts of leftover food that restaurants and hotels throw away on a daily basis.
With the help of his attorney father, Davis was able to bring the idea to the attention of legislators, and the bill was born.
According to a story in the Miami Herald, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association supports the bill.
Hard Times Show
By Alyson Crean acrean@keynoter.com
Food pantries report more families in need
A working mom with four kids entered new territory this week when she found herself at the doorstep of Glad Tidings' food pantry in Key West asking for help.
She said she is working, but her hours have been cut so she couldn't afford to buy food, said Kay DeLoach, who runs the bank with her husband Pastor Ernie DeLoach.
People are having to choose between paying the rent and buying food, said Marj Roberts, director of KAIR, or Keys Area Interdenominational Resources, in Marathon.
This week the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it would award Monroe County nearly $15,000 through an emergency food and shelter grant program.
That's up from the $14,000 granted last year, but Rev. Stephen Braddock says the grant was more than $60,000 several years ago.
Braddock, executive director of the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, said demand is increasing on the Loaves and Fishes food bank in Key West as well. He pointed out a recent Wall Street Journal article showing demand on food banks has risen as much as 20 percent the past year.
Demand at Loaves and Fishes has gone up 20 percent in the last two months, Braddock said. We're serving about 90 families a month.
Glad Tidings serves at least 10 families a month, DeLoach said. That's on top of the 150 to 200 daily meals served by the church. Glad Tidings provides breakfast for the homeless every Tuesday and Thursday.
The St. Mary's Soup Kitchen in Key West has also seen an increase in demand, says director Angela McClain.
We've probably increased by 10 percent to 12 percent, she said. The soup kitchen is averaging between 80 and 100 meals a day.
Demand at the food bank run by St. Peter Catholic Church on Big Pine Key is on the rise as well, says the bank's director, Magda Trott.
We are only open three days a week, she said, and we have a steady stream of people. We see in the neighborhood of 15 to 20 people a day, and most of them are families.
Last year's FEMA grant was split among St Mary's Soup Kitchen, KAIR, HigherLove Mission Outreach in Marathon and Samuel's House, a women's emergency shelter in Key West.
Combined, those agencies served nearly 72,000 meals in 2007, said Elmira Leto, director of Samuel's House.
Many of the agencies that distribute food, either via kitchens or pantries, say they see the supply of food shrinking even as the demand grows.
Private donations and church support seems to be holding out better than government funding.
Roberts said the federal government went from distributing 261 million pounds of food nationally in one year to 16 million pounds.
KAIR distributes 3,000 pounds of groceries a month, Roberts said.
Even if your churches are being great, which they are, when you go through that much food a month, you're having to provide a lot of supplies.
New Foundation Development Director Visits FKOC
Margaret P. Hudson, newly appointed Development Director of Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida, recently toured the FKOC food pantry and shelters.
Pictured here with FKOC President, Rev. Steve Braddock, Ms. Hudson renewed the foundation's commitment to "help fund ministries to transform lives."
Anti-Hunger Initiative Supports FKOC Food Pantry
FKOC Outreach Worker, Cecil Bain, welcomes a delivery of non-perishable food donated by the faith based anti-hunger organization "Daily Bread".
The group's truck makes the 150-mile weekly journey from the mainland to help stock the shelves of FKOC's Loaves and Fish Food Pantry as part of its mission to combat hunger in South Florida.
Episcopal Diocese continues to Support Food Pantry
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(Photo by Margaret P. Hudson) |
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FKOC President, Rev. Stephen E. Braddock (L) accepts a $15,000 check from St. Paul's Church Interim Rector, Rev. Canon G. Kerry Robb (R).
Rev. Robb presented the contribution on behalf of
Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida.
FKOC and St. Paul's Church co-founded the Loaves and Fish Food Pantry in 2001 to assist needy individuals and families with food, personal hygiene items, and baby diapers.
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Feeding the Multitudes
(KW) Rev. Stephen E. Braddock (L) President of the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, accepts a check from Rev. David Wilt (R), Rector of St. Paul's Church.
The Homeless Coalition and St. Paul's cosponsor the Loaves and Fish Food Pantry. St. Paul's and the Episcopal Foundation of South Florida have contributed over $75,000 to the anti-hunger initiative since its 1999 inception. (295-7580 for pantry information)
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