WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Bright and early Saturday morning, cars lined the streets at the University Preparatory Academy in West Palm Beach.
That's where volunteers and the WPTV team were hard at work filling bags with fresh fruit, produce, and veggies.
WATCH BELOW: The WPTV team is at Summertime Food Drive!
For the last four years, WPTV and the Urban League of the Palm Beaches have teamed up to help fight food insecurity during the summer months.
Soulan Johnson with the Urban League of the Palm Beaches says this event plays a crucial role in our communities.
"There is over 173,000 people that are food insecure. That means 1 and 5 children and 1 and 9 adults. We know that there is over 200 thousand kids in the school district. Half of those kids are Title 1 and also face food insecurity."
With the help of WPTV viewers, nearly $40,000 was raised to help feed 1500 families across Palm Beach County.
WPTV's Christy Waite was there as families packed the trunks of their cars with food. The viewers she spoke to said they wouldn't have known about the event if it hadn't been on WPTV's Weekend Morning Newscast.
Many of the people who waited in line were elderly and lived off social security.
WPTV's T.A. Walker and Dave Bohman were volunteering at the West Palm Beach location. Bohman says this event is a humbling experience and shows just how great the need is in our area.
"Times are tough. This is the least we can do to just say we are thinking of you, see you, we are not going to solve all of your problems, but we got you this week when it comes to food supply."
This year's Summertime Food Drive was held in West Palm Beach, Belle Glade, and Delray Beach.
People were already lined up at the West Palm Beach location before 5 a.m. The event leaves people's hearts and bellies full, one car at a time.
