Article and Photos by Chuck Seaver, South Lake Tablet
Find Feed & Restore co-hosted a Free Community Barbecue on Saturday, November 4th at McKinney Park, 801 Bloxam Avenue, Clermont. The event, partnered with the Clermont Police Department, New Jacob’s Chapel, and the Lincoln Park South Lake Alliance, provided hamburgers, hot dogs and all the trimmings to approximately 600 attendees. The participants enjoyed an afternoon of cool weather, sunny skies and vendors providing community outreach information to each of the guests that browsed the booths.
Organizations such as Help Me Grow, Lincoln Park ED Center, Milestone Counselling, The Neighborhood Center, Career Source, Lake-Sumter College, Lake County Library Services, Orlando Health, Early Learning Coalition, The Way Academy, and Lake Technical College came together to offer free information geared toward the needs of the community. Opportunities and services that may otherwise go unnoticed without the outreach efforts. Each of the participants had availability to free gift cards from the participating, non-profit organizations as well as the opportunity to win one of three hoverboards that were offered in a raffle-style, free give-a-away.
Find Feed & Restore had the opportunity to utilize the most recent addition to its outreach program by providing the barbeque from its “Care Coach,” a renovated motor home that was recently donated to the organization and retrofitted as a mobile kitchen, according to Find Feed & Restores Founder, Brian Broadway. “The Care Coach can be utilized in many different community-need scenarios, including outreach programs such as today’s event,” says Broadway. Funds to retrofit the motorhome were provided by the Live Well Foundation of South Lake. The Find Feed & Restore staff will soon receive training that will allow them to cook within the coach. For the time being, food that is cooked must still be prepared outside and then prepared for serving within the coach.
Volleyball, basketball, and other games were provided to the younger attendees with Clermont Police Chief Chuck Broadway leading the way on the basketball court with the little ones. The police department’s community relations officers and staff were on hand to provide safety tips and game giveaways to the youngsters as well.
Find Feed & Restore declares a “Mission to Help the Helpless.” The organization meets with families who are in extreme need, provides free, temporary housing to struggling families, finds ways to provide families with permanent affordable housing, and helps families break free from the cycle of homelessness. Visit findfeedrestore.com for more information.
