The Provision Pack Program was founded to provide nutritional assistance to low income families in the Ormond Beach area. The families in our program are living in poverty, and in some cases homeless situations. According to the US Census Bureau, in 2015, approximately 100,000 people (17.7%) of Volusia County lives in poverty.
These families are faced with the unfortunate decisions of having to choose between paying rent, a utility bill, and putting food on their table. No one should be faced with such difficult decisions.
This program started a couple of years ago when founder, Carrie Torres discovered the need for food for families in her children’s school in Ormond Beach. The teachers at the school told her about 12 families from the school who were homeless living in cars, campgrounds, hotels or on the floors of other families. These families depended on their children’s school to provide them 2 meals a day because they were without food and money for food. The program started by helping these 12 families with meals on the weekends and over summer vacation.
Because of their partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, Perines Local Produce, Oasis Church and Publix Super Markets, the Provision Pack Program were able to reduce the cost of the provision packs that they provide from $25- $30 to only $5 a bag. They are now not only able to provide nutritious food for families, they can also help the financial and emotional stress on the family who is not able to feed their children. Most importantly, these packs provide the blessing of nutrition, and bring comfort to the children of Ormond Beach so that the youth can focus on their academics and become healthy, successful young adults.
The name Provision Pack was created because they “Provide” something that is needed to others. This ministry has grown and expanded their support to over 65 students in multiple schools in the Ormond Beach area.
Carrie credits the commitment of the Ormond Beach community and the love for one another to the success of this program. She would like to thank Second Harvest and her other community partners and her volunteers as she strives to Change Lives One Backpack at a Time!
Patti DeLaCruz Agency Relations Coordinator