A unique partnership between a Seminole couple and the county's Department of Health is helping thousands stay fed in Central Florida, and they're just getting started.
- Reginia Kelly, husband Dan opened Feed the Need Central Florida Food Bank
- Food Bank located inside Seminole Department of Health
- Since opening, food bank has served several thousand
Stocking food pantries is nothing new to Reginia Kelly. She's been looking for ways to help those less fortunate for many years.
"It's not just panhandlers or the homeless, it's people living paycheck to paycheck,” said Kelly.
But something happened recently that urged her to do more.
"It's actually a little weird,” said Kelly. “It was a dream. So when I woke up the dream haunted me for the next couple of weeks."
Kelly then had a talk with her pastor.
"I said, 'Hey, I had this dream, it won't go a way, there's this huge community center with different rooms and things like that,'” said Kelly. “And he said, 'I don't think that was a dream I think you better do what you're told to do.'"
After talking with local community leaders, Kelly and her husband Dan worked with the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County to open the Feed the Need Central Florida Food Bank right inside the department of health.
Seminole health officials say it's the first of its kind in the state. Since the food bank's soft-opening about a month ago, it has served several thousand people.
The response has been so strong, in fact, the health department is now working on opening up a bigger space for the food bank.
"It should've always been here,” said Kelly. “And the people we've helped, obviously they need the help, they wouldn't be inside the health department to begin with if they didn't. And all of the employees of the health department are pushing to the pantry, so not only can they get their medical services and things they need with the health department, but now they can get their food."
Kelly and her husband aren't working alone -- their entire family helps out. But they're all working for one purpose.
"We're just acting on that need out there,” said Dan Kelly. “And we feel great that we can help out, and there's just a gigantic need for this out in the community."
And for Kelly, this is just one step toward making her dream of opening a community center someday a reality.
"If you saw those kids rip open those bags, I don't know, it's something we have to do,” said Kelly.
The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County held an official opening for the food bank on Monday, October 24. You can find out more about the food bank and help support it at www.feedtheneedcf.com.