Broward’s Cross Road Food Bank facing closure from lack of funding
Broward County’s Cross Road Food Bank, which has operated one of the County’s largest Food Pantries and Food Banks for the past eight years, is facing imminent closure within a matter of weeks if they are unable to raise sufficient funds to allow them to continue operations, President and Founder Don Adams has announced. “After more than eight years of fighting to stem the tide of hunger in South Florida, and despite the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and supporters, today our backs are against the wall. Without immediate and substantial financial assistance from the community, we simply will not be able to continue to operate.”
The crisis is the result of an overwhelming increase in demand for the services provided by the Food Pantry, which targets individuals and families trying to bridge the gap between having and not having enough food to last until the next pay-period or shopping day; the Food Bank, which supports over 100 local shelters, pantries, churches, faith-based outreach organizations and emergency feeding groups; and the unanticipated loss of a number of grants and funding in the first quarter of this year – a loss equal to more than one-quarter of the annual budget.
The numbers are staggering: In 2009, Cross Road Food Bank distributed over 700,000 pounds of food to families and individuals in need; over 960,000 pounds of food to local organizations; and over 1,000,000 pounds of fresh produce for both programs. The 2010 numbers are dramatically higher – even as the organization has struggled to continue to provide needed services, every new day, every new week, brings a greater need that must be met.
“The closure of Cross Road would be catastrophic to the thousand facing food insecurity and hunger is South Florida,” according to Arnold Jean-Baptiste, Community Liaison Specialist for the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. “Cross Road Food Bank’s economic strength and posture at present poses a huge problem for the CSC’s Million Meals Committee, which is charged with coordinating the efforts of more than 75 agencies in Broward County and its members that depend on its capability to distribute food and produce for both families and social service agencies. Being on the verge of shutting their doors will lead to less food for our children and their families, elimination of a vital distribution center for Faith and Community based organizations, a decrease in the availability of summer food boxes for out-of-school children, and the termination of the Million Meal Committee’s main logistical artery and its crucial disaster response center during hurricane season.”
About Cross Road Food Bank
Founded by Don Adams eight years ago, Cross Road Food Bank is a non-profit organization located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that provides food assistance to families/individuals and assists other food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens in Broward County and the surrounding counties. Cross Road Food Bank is divided into two programs, the Food Bank and the Food Pantry. The Food Bank is opened to all organizations that have a feeding program. It ensures that these programs have enough food to meet their client’s needs. The Food Pantry prepares boxes and distributes food and produce to families and individuals in need. Visits are spaced at one-month intervals unless mitigating circumstances arise.
Contact Cross Road Food Bank
Don Adams, President
Phone: 954-627-6900, Ext: 225
Wilson Figueroa, General Manager
Phone: 954-627-6900, Ext: 226
621 N.W. 6th Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33311
Telephone: 954-627-6900
Fax: 954-627-6999
Business Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday.
Short URL: http://browardnetonline.com/?p=8235
Posted by AdamF
on Jun 1 2010. Filed under Broward County, Families, Fort Lauderdale, Local news, Non-profit organizations.
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Help Cross Road Food Bank Win $250,000
Cross Road Food Bank in Fort Lauderdale, FL is South Florida’s largest Food Bank/Food Pantry and has recently been in the news due to the threat of closure of their doors.
“Cross Road Food Bank is dedicated to feeding and supporting the community in which we live and work, and receiving a grant through the Chase Community Giving program would allow us to keep our doors open,” said Don Adams, President of Cross Road Food Bank.
Facebook users can help Cross Road Food Bank by simply visiting the Chase Community Giving program at:
http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/202444328-cross-road-food-bank-inc