Food lockers open
By LINDA ANN McDONALD
Correspondent
The Wakulla County Thursday, November 7, 2024, the Florida Department of Health in Wakulla County and Second Harvest of the Big Bend along with the Florida Blue Foundation unveiled the Food Locker for the Wakulla Community with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the DOH-Wakulla at 48 Oak Street in Crawfordville. The food locker is direct response to an identified need within Wakulla County and will address food insecurities in our community.
Florida Department of Health in Wakulla County has been working diligently to open a 24/7 grocery locker. The food locker will provide neighbors in need with a food box whenever required. This concept was developed directly from the DOH-Wakulla’s Community Health Improvement Plan and Minority Health Plan.
Both plans were formed based on results of a health assessment conducted locally. After analyzing the local data, the proved the necessity of free healthy food options to help reduce health disparities throughout the county. The locker is open to anyone.
Tonya Hobby, Health Officer for DOH-Wakulla said, “We are super excited to be able to contribute and offer the food locker as a resource for food for those in need.”
Kayleen Pafford, Capital Region-Region Coordinator and Minority Health Liaison for DOH-Wakulla said, “It feels surreal to have this project completed and actually assisting our community, on the first day the food locker was up and running, over 25 people signed up in one day; it was like Christmas Day for me, I was so happy to be an impact in our community and be able to help.”
Emmanuel Routsis, Agency Relations Manager of the Second Harvest of the Big Bend is a huge partner of the Food Locker and will be filling the locker for the community.
Anyone interested in applying for the food locker can Click Here, or contact Kayleen Pafford at (850) 888-6078.
