[rforte4@rochester.rr.com]

I've seen so many times people who leave the Villages for a season throwing
out their unused non-perishable food items. I'm assuming this is because they don't know what to do with these items or where to donate them. This is a shame since there are many people who live inside & outside The Villages who could really use these items.

I've attached a list of several food pantries / food collection sites around The Villages where you can drop off your unopened non-perishable / non-expired food items. You will find their address and contact information on the list. Feel free to call them with any questions you have.

Also you can drop off your food items at several Recreation Centers up until March 27th during the Seeds of Hope food drive. The list of Recreation Centers includes Paradise, La Hacienda, El Santiago, Laurel Manor, Lake Miona, Sea Breeze, Colony, Rohan, Mulberry Grove, and Everglades.

You may also have the names of other food pantries / food collection sites who would
accept these items so please feel free to share that information.

I would suggest making a copy of the attached list and placing it on your
refrigerator or someplace where you can reference it.

Thanks for your attention to this message as your donations make a huge difference to so many who really don’t have enough to eat.

I wish The Villages would include this kind of information in publications like the Renters Guide or other newspapers / communications materials that are available to individuals as they stay at The Villages. If anyone has connections to get this message out to the broader community and / or to get this permanently printed in The Villages materials please do so & I'd also like to hear about it.

[Velvet]

Do they pick it up?

When I left TV the last time I gave my fresh stuff to the taxi driver after asking him first, and other things I left out in bags and mentioned it to my neighbors. I had just made a large grocery order the day before, but an emergency came up. The house minder took anything not picked up inside later.