This holiday season marks the 22nd year of WESH 2’s “Share Your Christmas” community food drive. The drive began last month and will end on Dec. 14. “Demand for food assistance is at all-time high in Central Florida, and we’re facing a huge shortage between now and the end of the year,” said Dave Krepcho, Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, in a WESH press release.
Last year, the WESH program helped account for more than 300,000 pounds of food in seven Central Florida counties. WESH encourages individuals, businesses, schools, and organizations to donate non-perishable food items and personal products for the needy in Central Florida.
The food collected remains in the county of collection and is distributed by Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Cocoa, and the Salvation Army units in Orlando, Daytona Beach, DeLand, Sanford, Ocala, Kissimmee, Cocoa, Leesburg, Titusville, and Melbourne.
To highlight “Share Your Christmas,” WESH 2 will broadcast live from Universal Orlando on Dec. 7 as its kicks off the Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal and Universal employees unite for the food drive. Monday, Dec 10th, WESH kick off a week of live broadcasts from across the area for the program. The live shots begin in Daytona Beach that day as residents drop off their donations. Tuesday, Dec. 11th the broadcast will be in Brevard and Lake Counties. Wednesday, Dec. 12th the broadcast will be in Marion County followed by the Thursday broadcast in Osceola and Seminole counties.
The conclusion of the broadcast will be at WESH 2/CW 18 studios in Orange County on Friday, Dec. 14th. The totals of the food donated will be revealed throughout the day, culminating with the grand total announced on WESH 2 News at 6pm on Dec. 14th.
For additional information or details regarding specific food drop off locations or participation you can go here on WESH’s Web site or call the Second Harvest Food Bank at 407-295-1066.
And if you’re in a very generous mood, you can also check out the Orlando Sentinel’s Family Fund holiday drive, which helps needy families across Central Florida. For more information on that drive, click here for the Sentinel’s Web site.