Title
Strike Out Hunger Food Drive (B)
The purpose of this agenda item is to provide the City Commission with the results and outcomes of the 2018 Strike Out Hunger Food Drive for Gainesville/Alachua County and ask for continued support from the City during the 2019 Strike Out Hunger Food Drive.
Explanation
The City of Gainesville and its employees, along with other community partners, have been collecting food for the needy in Gainesville/Alachua County for several years. The City has been a co-sponsor of the event since its inception and the City has been providing in-kind services (meeting space and staff time) to support the event. The Food Drive is organized by Rodney Long who started the event when he was a member of the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners. The City has been a committed partner in the effort to reduce poverty in Gainesville/Alachua County. Additionally, the City has been a major partner in the creation and development of the Hunger Abatement Plan for Gainesville and Alachua County.
The Strike Out Hunger Food Drive collects food and donations to restock food pantries for needy families throughout Gainesville and Alachua County. Without the annual food drive, many of the local food pantries would run out of food during the most critical time of the year, which is also the holiday season. Mr. Long has requested an opportunity to report the results and outcomes of the 2018 Strike Out Hunger Food Drive, and to request continued support from the City Commission for the 2019 Strike Out Hunger Food Drive.
Fiscal Note
The minimal cost to the City to participate in the annual Food Drive incudes staff time and meeting space. In past years, the MLK Multi-Purpose Center and/or the Thomas Center have hosted approximately 10 or more planning meetings. Typically, the City charges $130-$170 per meeting at the Thomas Center to cover labor and equipment. For that reason, if not waived, fees to Strike Out Hunger for those meeti...
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