ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A St. Petersburg non-profit that helps thousands needs a little bit of that same TLC. Their food pantry needs a boost this holiday season.
"It's full all the time, " Eliza Waller told us.
There's never a slow day at Daystar Life Center. That's why Waller gets there at 7:30 in the morning.
"We probably wouldn't be able to make it month to month because of the price of food. I have a pretty big sized family," Waller said.
Waller and her husband have eight grandchildren who visit them a lot. She and hundreds of other people come in and out of Daystar’s food pantry, and the organization is running low.
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"You're only giving them a can of corn, a can of green beans, a can of tuna and some potatoes you know that's not going to last," Daystar Executive Director Jane Trocheck-Walker said.
They turned to Facebook, hoping people would grab an extra can or two as they do their own grocery shopping. Fresh produce and canned goods only get dropped off once a week by a community partner.
"Fortunately people think about it, unfortunately it's not until right before Thanksgiving through Christmas then it drops off again," Trocheck-Walker said.
Over the 20 years Daystar has served the community, they usually help about 1,500 people put a holiday meal on the table. And with this new, bigger building – they anticipate feeding even more people. But Trocheck-Walker believes the community will heed the call.
"I kind of work like the loaves and the fishes, if you keep handing it out, it comes back," Trocheck-Walker said.
Daystar Life Center needs the following items donated:
- Cereal
- Oatmeal
- Soup
- Crackers
- Fresh vegetables
- Canned food
- Onions
- Fruit
- Pork and beans
- Jelly
- Pasta
- Potatoes
- Baked goods
- Rice
- Tuna
- Lean meat
- Poultry
- Nuts
- Bread
- Juice
If you need help, you can call Daystar at 727-825-0442.
