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Families, Businesses Aid Food Bank

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 26, 2007

PLANT CITY - The community's spirit of giving helped a local food bank at just the right time.

Kelleigh Klein, the executive director of United Food Bank and Services of Plant City, said the organization received a great response to its holiday needs.

"We have had many generous holiday contributions from individuals, schools and businesses," Klein said. "This is a time of year when many of the families and individuals we help out can definitely use our services."

The food bank donors included the Simmons Career Center, where students and their families helped contribute more than 5,000 pounds of food this month. The students also contributed 510 toys for needy children.

"Our students have outdone themselves," school Principal Leslie Morris said. "All of our students responded to the challenge. One of out teachers, Joan Connors, spearheaded the food drive. She has been involved in the program since it began. There was fierce competition between homerooms to see who would win out."

Klein said six schools contribute to the food bank, accounting for more than 30,000 pounds of food each year.

During the week before Christmas the food bank distributes holiday dinners and toys to needy families.

The groups that helped out this year included the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, which collected and donated toys. Ferman Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge of Plant City donated complete holiday meals with turkeys for 20 families

The individuals who helped included Yvonne Fry and her son Arie, who asked guests at his ninth birthday to bring food and toys for the food bank instead of gifts for him.

More than 40 children were at the party at Kidz Bounce Zone, Yvonne Fry said. "We hope the families we help have a merry Christmas," she said.

For information about the food bank or its needs, call Klein at (813) 764-0625 or e-mail her at unitedfoodbank.ofplantcity@verizon.net.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451 or gnewman@tampatrib.com.

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