We are always grateful when members of our community take it upon themselves to raise money for the Community Food Bank of Citrus County. Special thank you to the Last Chance Band, a local classic rock and country band. They raised $788 during a recent performance at Walden Woods South Clubhouse. We sincerely appreciate this great group of gentlemen and all the people who donated!
If you haven’t heard the Last Chance Band perform, be sure to check out their Facebook page:
The Winn Dixie at 3565 North Lecanto Highway, Beverly Hills is helping the Community Food Bank (CFB) start the new year off right! During the month of January, the store will donate $1.00 to the CFB for each reusable food bag that is purchased at their store. The bags are located at various registers and at the reusable bag rack.
If you have not seen or used these bags, they are really great. They not only make it easier to carry groceries, but they come in handy year-round. Take them to the beach, use them on road trips, send the kids to school with them, take them to work – the possibilities are endless!
This promotion to benefit the CFB begins January 1, 2020 and concludes January 31, 2020, so don’t forget to stop by and pick up a bag or two. As always, we appreciate your continued support!
Special thank you to all who participated in the Black Diamond Foundation’s challenge to donate $3000 to the Thanksgiving Feeding Alliance (TGFA). As a result, hundreds of families in need were able to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast with all the fixings! The Community Food Bank is proud to be part of this effort each year.
Read the full article in the Citrus County Chronicle.
We were happy to welcome Luis Marin, District 3 Citrus County Commission candidate and Robert Winsler of Winsler Consulting & Advocacy to our office and warehouse last week. They toured the food bank to learn about our function, purpose and mission and gained a comprehensive understanding of additional needs that must be addressed. Thank you, gentlemen, for taking time out of your busy schedule to witness first-hand how we are working to end hunger and nourish hope!
Citrus Memorial Hospital donated 126 turkeys to the Community Food Bank (CFB), just in time for Thanksgiving! Special thank you to Citrus Memorial Hospital and the employees that donated a holiday turkey to the CFB to ensure a hungry family can enjoy a hearty Thanksgiving dinner.
Special thank you to the Walmart Supercenter at 6885 S. Suncoast Blvd in Homosassa. They conducted a Thanksgiving food drive at their registers and donated food just in time for the holiday! We appreciate the local corporations who generously support us and work hard to help feed families in need. If you donated at the register, thank you! Your donation will make a difference this Thanksgiving!
We’re gearing up for Thanksgiving! Special thank you to Nature Coast Financial Advisors. A team of their employees brought us lots of yummy food donations. They also spent the day helping us sort food for distribution to our food agencies. We appreciate your time and generosity!
If you, your company or organization would like to volunteer, please contact us. Our volunteers enjoy camaraderie and have lots of fun while working hard to help us feed more than 17,000 people each month who depend on the Community Food Bank.
The Community Food Bank (CFB) raised more than $232,000 thanks to the generosity of individuals and companies who attended the 8th Annual Event held at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida on Wednesday, November 6th. This annual event, founded by CFB Board Members, brings together CFB board members, community leaders and invited friends who share in an evening of fun and philanthropy.
“Poverty continues to grow in Citrus County and it hits the working poor especially hard,” explains Mike Orlito, Board Chair for the CFB. “We are grateful to have the support of so many esteemed individuals and companies who recognize this and are responsive to the needs of our community.”
One-hundred and thirty (130) individuals attended this year’s Black Diamond Event, raising 44% of the CFB’s total annual operating budget.
“We are extremely excited that our Annual Event was a success again this year,” says Barbara Sprague, Executive Director of the CFB. “This is only the beginning, as we continue to plan more fundraising events for the winter and spring to ensure we meet our fundraising goals.”
The CFB has an annual budget of $522,225 which runs from January through December. The next event, Citrus Empty Bowls, will be held on February 8, 2020 at Crystal Harley Davidson. This event brings awareness to the issue of hunger in our community, the 1 in 6 adults and 1 in 4 children in Citrus County who struggle with hunger daily.
About Community Food Bank
The Community Food Bank (CFB) serves more than 17,000 individuals each month by acquiring and distributing nutritious food to 50 pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters. Founded in 2013, the organization has provided more than 10 million meals to individuals and households struggling to pay for basic needs. The CFB fulfills its mission thanks to the generous support of private donors, corporate sponsors, United Way of Citrus County, Black Diamond Foundation, Inc., Fairman Foundation, Accessibility Services, Inc., TD Charitable Foundation, Walmart Foundation, Publix Supermarket Charities, Helen Bell Foundation, U.S. Family Foundation, Inc. and Crystal Motor Car Co. & Employees. The CFB is a partner of Feeding Tampa Bay. For more information, visit https://feed352.org/.
The Community Food Bank (CFB) is proud to welcome Ms. Barbara Sprague as its new Executive Director. Sprague was preceded by Mr. John Autry, who has returned to his passion of coaching and teaching.
Sprague brings extensive knowledge and experience from both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. Her ability to cultivate relationships, pursue partnerships and promote collaboration will prove invaluable as she works to expand the CFB’s position as the leading force to end hunger in Citrus County.
Prior to joining the CFB, Sprague was the Executive Director of the Florida State Massage Therapy Association. She also spent several years in the animal welfare industry, raising funds and awareness for humane societies and rescue organizations throughout Florida and North Carolina. She has managed several private enterprises and operated her own consulting firm where she provided businesses with comprehensive performance analysis including identifying areas of improvement and developing strategies to increase overall productivity.
“I am extremely impressed with the staff, volunteers, board and supporters of the Community Food Bank,” explains Sprague. “They are all very supportive and passionate about taking care of their neighbors. This excites me because I have found that collaboration and partnerships are the cornerstones of growth and sustainability. I plan to use my expertise in the these and other areas to advance the mission of the CFB.”
CFB Board of Directors Chairman Mike Orlito is extremely excited about working with Sprague.
“Barbara has the background, experience and drive to take the CFB to the next level,” says Orlito. “We know that to continue our success, we must be persistent with our purpose and forward-thinking about raising awareness and funds to support our mission of ‘ending hunger’ and ‘nourishing hope.’ Barbara is certainly a welcome addition to our team.”