West Pasco Group Helps Community By Distributing Food The Volunteer Way

SPOTLIGHTING: The Volunteer Way, a New Port Richey-based charity that's helping 17,000 families throughout Central Florida and 5,500 families in Pasco County with food to supplement what they can afford to buy. The nonprofit group also assists low-income seniors who are homebound, the Pasco Pregnancy Center, a domestic violence shelter, people with mental disabilities and most other charities in the county.

SOURCING: Information in this report is from www.thevolunteerway.org.

SUPPORTING: For more on The Volunteer Way, send an e-mail to lester@thevolunteerway.org; mail a letter to 7820 Congress St., New Port Richey FL 34653; or call (727) 815-0433. The Web site has information on how to donate, plus instructions on starting and running a food pantry or soup kitchen.

SPECIALTY: The Volunteer Way, with more than 14 years of service, gives all its food free to individuals, food pantries, soup kitchens and other charities. Last year, the group donated 5 million pounds of food.

SEASONAL RUSH: The food bank is stocking up to help needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also, The Volunteer Way is arranging a turkey dinner for up to 450 people on Nov. 17 at First Assembly of God, 36322 State Road 54.

SAMARITANS ON SEVERAL FRONTS: Reaping The Harvest is a Volunteer Way program that distributes food donated by supermarkets, restaurants and other food handling businesses. Last year, more than 1.1 million pounds of food was distributed to The Volunteer Way clients.

The Brown Bag Program delivers 40 to 60 pounds of food every third week of the month to homebound seniors. The Volunteer Way also has a cleaning service for elderly clients whose physical conditions hamper their ability to do household chores.

Each month, people with mental disabilities help pack food boxes for the elderly at The Volunteer Way's warehouse. They also fix a box for themselves.

The Kids Against Hunger Food Drive helps keep shelves stocked in the 60 food pantries, soup kitchens and domestic violence shelters that depend on The Volunteer Way.

A staff report