By Karin Bradeen
On Wednesday, Nov. 19, the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club parking lot became a hub of generosity as nearly 300 cars, representing families from across Wellington, lined up to receive free groceries and essential food items.
The distribution was part of a large-scale logistical operation supported by the sheriff’s office, volunteer deputies and many dedicated community volunteers.
Citizen Observer Patrol (COP) volunteers Capt. Mike Anderson and his wife Mary Monnet, Lt. Gary Dernlan, Capt. Ken Finkleman, Sgt. Bill Richards, Sgt. Bob Kruger, Mike Stiner and Sam Ditosto worked together on site to guide traffic, coordinate the flow of vehicles and ensure that every family received assistance smoothly.
Cars began lining up at 9:30 a.m. for the distribution, which ran from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers loaded trunks and back seats with groceries donated by Restoration Bridge, including fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, potatoes, assorted cuts of meat, bread and soft drinks.
The purpose of the program is to support families in Wellington and the surrounding areas who may be facing financial or any other form of challenges, and to ensure that everyone in the Palm Beach County area has reliable access to healthy and nutritious food.
Restoration Bridge was founded by Pastor Daniel West in 2005 with a mission to end hunger and provide food security. The organization collaborates with 50 food and grocery stores, such as Publix and others. Through these partnerships, Restoration Bridge receives food that is distributed throughout Palm Beach County. In total, the group distributes 13.45 million pounds of food per year to 1.3 million families in need. No approval is needed to participate.
More than a dozen food distributions are planned over the next several weeks. Visit www.restorationbridge.com/events to learn more.
