PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Over the past year, a new food pantry at the Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County has been serving dozens of families who were struggling to put food on the table due to inflation. The pantry is celebrating its one year anniversary this week.
At the Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County, there are two faces you will see every afternoon.
Two 13-year-old volunteers, Savannah and Kyra, come every day to work in the food pantry.
“It helps people and kids who don’t have stuff we have,” Kyra said.
The CHU food pantry, which stand for the Chuck Hill Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County, opened last summer as inflation started driving up food prices.
Many families around St. Lucie County were struggling to put food on the table.
“It affected them a lot because some people, before inflation they would get fed a decent amount but now, some parents don’t have enough money to buy them the foods that they need,” Savannah said.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cost of food increased by 9.9% in 2022.
Region St Lucie County
Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County opens food pantry to serve members
And between August 2022 and August 2023, food prices rose 4.3%, according to NerdWallet.
“Our club kids tell us. They tell us when things are going wrong and they’re not going so well,” Will Armstead, chief executive officer of the Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County, said. “It’s good for the community and when someone needs something, we’re here to provide it.”
Armstead said they received a $20,000 donation from GL Homes and that’s when they got the ball rolling.
Now, one year later, the pantry often feeds 400 people each month, exclusively serving club members and their families.
“It’s been a phenomenal success, serving hundreds of families over the course of the year who otherwise, would not have those essential groceries to fill their refrigerators,” Sarah Alsofrom, vice president of community relations for GL Homes, told WPTV.
The pantry is filled with a wide variety of snacks, coffee, bread, pasta, beans, fruits and vegetables, etc.
Each family can take home one box of food each week and make their food selections prior to pick-up.
“It’s a great feeling," Armstead said. "I mean the kids, the teens and club staff, it’s a joy for them. It’s a joy for the parents.”
“Some kids go to bed hungry. Some kids eat rice for dinner and by us helping them with all this food, they’re really grateful,” Kyrah said.