CLAY COUNTY – Although the first shopping cart of food wasn’t scheduled to go out until 10 a.m., the first person arrived at Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, …
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CLAY COUNTY – Although the first shopping cart of food wasn’t scheduled to go out until 10 a.m., the first person arrived at Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, for the MLK Weekend of Service/Impact Clay Train event.
Unlike other monthly stops, this month’s collaboration between public, private, nonprofit and faith groups to affect a positive change included a truckload of food supplied by United Way of Northeast Florida, Celebration Church and Feeding Northeast Florida as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend of Service Celebration.
There were 35 families patiently waiting when the Impact Clay volunteers started distributing food. And it was worth the wait.
Each family received a whole turkey, four jars of peanut butter, six jars of Rao’s Alfredo with bacon pasta sauce, a bag of collard greens, three packs of fresh mushrooms, three heads of fresh romaine lettuce, nine pounds of potatoes, three half gallons of orange juice and fresh bread. Volunteers put the groceries into carts, walked them to cars and helped load them so families could return to enjoy other services like a free hot meal, haircuts, clothes, medical checkups, train rides, free books and get information about services offered by the county and other service organizations.
In honor of MLK Weekend of Service, another truckload of food was distributed at Celebration Church in Orange Park, according to Impact Clay CEO Connie Thomas.
“We had families waiting in line for hours before the event started at both locations,” Thomas said. “Those served were extremely grateful. We were able to serve many families who had transportation or personal mobilization difficulties. We truly saw the beloved community in action through the many volunteers who came together to ensure that people were fed and given hope.”
Thomas said 110 families received groceries in Keystone Heights, while 130 were served in Orange Park.
Next month’s Impact Clay Train stop will be at Clay Hill Elementary on Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to noon.