Big need in communities receiving from Food for Families Drive

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - At the cornerstone of a busy household, mother and grandmother Ann Lusk tries to keep it all together.  A series of hardships and the tough economy have put eight people under roof, supported by her Social Security check. 

"It's not a lot.  But it pays my bills. I'm thankful for that," she said.

Pinching every penny, Lusk gets help from Marvin and Olga Smith with Art and Compassion. Many of the groceries they give Lusk come from the Bill Brooks Food for Families drive.

"It means the world.  When you got kids and grandkids that need to eat. You know, they have to eat," she said.

All of the donations from the massive NewsChannel 5 food drive go to various non-profiit groups in the community. Those organizations pass food along to members of the community who are in need.

Marvin Smith with Art and Compassion says his organization feeds 400-500 people every year, and they feed them multiple times a week.

"We go through seasons. It's either feast or famine," he said.

Right now, Smith says, it is famine season for organizations like his. This year, the Bill Brooks Food for Families drive has sites that used to serve as donation hubs that are now asking for items to feed their own communities.

"It's frustrating to us not to be able to help the families that call us that we've helped in previous years. That we just don't, we don't have it this year," he said.

Lusk says she is thankful for what she has.

"There's people out here in worse shape than I am. Some of them don't even have a roof over their head, you know?  Me?  I'm lucky that way, I got a roof over our heads.  You know?  And I'm going to keep it that way," she said.

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