Apr 15, 2021 11:08 AM Orange City, FL - Orange City residents can take part in a food giveaway tomorrow (April 16) presented by Backpack Buddies. The event begins at 9 a.m. until all food is distributed at PFC Emory L. Bennett Veterans Memorial Park located at 1365 Veterans Memorial Highway. The next day, Saturday, April 17, is the Keep Orange City Beautiful event from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. Today (April 15) is the deadline to sign up. The cleanup is a partnership with the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce & Orange City Alliance. Visit delandchamber.org to register. The event check-in location is Coleman Park at 210 E. Blue Springs Ave. How it works: Teams will meet to check-in, receive their gloves, bags, pickers, and assigned clean-up location. A staggered start – teams may check-in anytime between 8 am and 9 am – will allow for social distancing. After check-in, teams will disperse to their assigned area to clean it up. Remember awards
More than 30,000 pounds of food will be available to Volusia County residents in need Friday in Orange City.
The nonprofit Backpack Buddies of Orange City will be distributing food in a drive-thru format at PFC Emory L. Bennett Veterans Memorial Park, 1365 Veterans Memorial Parkway, beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until noon or until supplies run out.
Attendees will be asked to drive up and pop their trunks open so volunteers can place bags of perishable and nonperishable food items inside the vehicles. The sustained impact of the pandemic means families are still struggling with food challenges, said Kelli Marks, president and founder of Backpack Buddies.
The event is open to Volusia County residents only. The pandemic has exposed the working poor, Kelli Marks, founder of Backpack Buddies, said. We are extremely grateful for our partnerships with so many of our community members and businesses who have stepped up to supply critical resources for those most in need in our community.
Marks, also vice mayor of the Orange City Council, said to make the event possible, her organization teamed up with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, which has partnerships with United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties, Halifax Urban Ministries, Hunger Fight and more.