JWB, Free Clinic Partner to Feed Families

One in five children in Pinellas County do not have enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life. The Juvenile Welfare Board, in a partnership with the St. Petersburg Free Clinic, are working to change that.

JWB’s Board has invested in bulk food purchases and a centralized hub with the St. Petersburg Free Clinic. In turn, the Free Clinic orchestrates the distribution of food to dozens of partner sites, feeding children and families countywide.

“Last year, JWB led the charge in SPFC’s ability to distribute more than 20.4 million pounds of food throughout Pinellas County, serving 1.2 million individuals in 2022 alone,” said Jennifer Yeagley, the Free Clinic’s CEO. “They do this through distributing food to partner food pantries, churches, other nonprofit organizations, neighborhood family centers, and even preschools.”

On average, the Free Clinic serves more than 135,000 individuals a month across Pinellas County, a 51% increase year over year.

This is achieved thanks to dozens of food partners across the county, like Dunedin Cares and FEAST.

The Free Clinic also coordinates JWB’s funded food program, distributing pre-packaged meals to kids at schools, NFCs, and after school programs and filling food gaps during weekends and summers…to the tune of 200,000 meals last year.

Read the article as originally published at https://www.tbnweekly.com/pinellas_county/article_e0b4dce6-307c-11ee-9f51-fb6c4f194a66.html