In the height of Florida’s growing season, our farmers just to the west are experiencing devastation. As hotels and cruise ships have gone dark, and restaurants have been limited to delivery or curbside pickup, our state’s agricultural crop loss has been quick and overwhelming. The global coronavirus pandemic has created a local crisis with a loss of 90% of the fresh produce grown in our area. Vibrant fresh produce will rot or be mowed over if not picked soon.
With just two weeks left in the farming season - one Palm Beach Civic Association Director has stepped out to help the farmers - and to feed our food insecure community. Thanks to a significant contribution, the Palm Beach Civic Association has coordinated 3600 boxes of fresh produce for the Palm Beach Food Bank to pick up tomorrow at TKM Bengard farm in Belle Glade. The food will be distributed through the Food Bank to our community’s families in need. Palm Beach TV will have live coverage of tomorrow’s assembly in Belle Glade and interviews with the leaders of those impacted on the newscast this Friday.
The anonymous donation will allow the farmers to be paid during this time of devastating loss to Florida’s second largest economic driver. Total losses throughout the state amount to over $522 million this year, according to a new report produced by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
On behalf of M&T Bank/Wilmington Trust, Rich Gieseler, M&T Bank Regional President, and Ted Brown, Wilmington Trust Regional President, are pleased to announce their Directors Advisory Council members have pledged $15,000 to support the COVID-19 relief funding for the “Save our Produce” initiative. “Once we learned about Palm Beach Civic Association’s extraordinary effort from our advisory council member Michael Picotte, we knew this was something we wanted to support. Within a few short hours, our advisory council members responded generously and pledged their donations.”
“I watched
60 Minutes
last week and recognized we could build a local platform similar of connecting the dots to help our local farmers and the families in most need” said Palm Beach Civic Association President Mary Robosson. Chairman Bob Wright agreed “this is something very important to the Civic Association mission - and we are proud to serve as conveners to help others in most need in the local agricultural industry and through the Food Bank of Palm Beach County”.
You can help save our produce.
Please contact
Mary Robosson
or
Allison Tardonia
at Palm Beach Civic Association to contribute. Your gift will support local farmers and families in need during this unprecedented time.
