By Lori Leath Smith, Publisher
An anonymous Fort Walton Beach donor has presented a challenge to Sharing & Caring Fort Walton Beach to raise $25,000 by Nov. 1, 2024. If $25,000 is raised, it will be matched with a $25,000 donation—a total of $50,000 for this valuable organization!
“Inflation has been a challenge the last two to three years and we very much need help in securing this matching gift,” says board member Al Hudson. Donation Checks can be mailed or dropped off at 126 Eglin Parkway, Fort Walton Beach, 32548.
Al says the following are factors have caused the non-profit organization to need help:
• A food-cost increase of approximately 20% over the past three years;
• Increase in larger-size families;
• Increase in cost of other expenses (insurance, utilities, personal care items, etc.);
• Helped feed more than 15,000 clients last year.
In September of 2023, Sharing & Caring Fort Walton Beach completed a 900-sq.-ft. building expansion more than doubling its food pantry space. The increased pantry space allowed the organization to buy more food in bulk, making donated dollars go further.
First opening its doors in 1985, Sharing & Caring was originally based in a building donated by the First Baptist Church of Fort Walton Beach, but relocated to its present location in 1992. The current building, leased from First Presbyterian Church, was renovated extensively by volunteer labor and generous donations from the community.
For decades, Sharing & Caring has served as an emergency food source for qualifying clients, also providing personal care items and vouchers for prescription medications based on income. The facility’s food bank is available to anyone who resides between Hurlburt Field in the west, Destin in the East and Eglin Air Force Base to the north. Its clients include families, children, seniors, the homeless and those who are unemployed. It’s estimated the pantry serves roughly 30 families a day and more than 15,000 clients per year. More than half of the pantry’s food provided comes from community donations, local churches and businesses. The rest is purchased by Sharing and Caring using financial donations.
Currently, the facility is staffed by approximately 50 volunteers who operate the offices and food pantry Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For those interested in helping out, Sharing & Caring volunteers are available during business hours to accept your monetary donation as well as food and personal care items. Tax-deductible monetary donations can also be made on the organization’s website: https://www.sharing-n-caring.org. “We are always looking for volunteers to help staff the office and food pantry also,” says Al. For more information on volunteering or the food bank, email support.sncfwb@gccoxmail.com or call (850) 244-0778.
