Stories of Hope

Midnight. That’s when the first car lined up for food at a mobile food distribution that would start at 7:00am. In that car was a grandfather picking up food not only for himself but for his son and grandkids so they had food to eat in the following weeks as well. Unfortunately, since the pandemic hit in March, we’ve seen instances like this become more and more the norm, with 40% of those attending mobile food distributions turning to food assistance for the very first time.

When WESH2 heard about the increase in need in our community, they jumped at the opportunity to help as many families as possible. Kicking off their season of giving with the annual Giving Tuesday telethon, WESH helped raise a record $620,000 (2.5 million meals!) in one day! It was incredible seeing hundreds of people in the community calling in to give anywhere from $5 to $5,000, knowing every little bit helps our neighbors in need.

Every year following Giving Tuesday, WESH hosts Share Your Christmas, a week-long food and fundraiser to benefit Second Harvest. During typical times, WESH broadcasts live from 5 different counties in Central Florida and encourages our community to come out in a big way to donate food as well as funds. Due to the pandemic and incredible increase in need this year, WESH flipped the Share Your Christmas model and turned every day into a mobile food distribution, feeding between 700-1,000 families every single day last week.

To continue in the spirit of giving, and to commemorate 35 years of Share Your Christmas, WESH is also hosting a prime time special on Wednesday, December 16, from 8pm – 9pm to raise even more vitally needed funds for our neighbors in need. You can make a difference as well, by calling in at 407-514-1099 and making a donation, or donating to our neighbors in need online.

A very special thank you to WESH2 for being such an incredible partner to Second Harvest and for all you are doing to support our neighbors in need. Because of you, and the kindness of our community you encouraged to get involved, thousands of families will have a happy holiday season!