Marion County is encouraging its residents and companies to assist these in want this vacation season by participating within the eleventh annual “Convey the Harvest Dwelling” vacation meals drive, and donations can be accepted via Friday, December 2.
“We encourage our group to drag collectively once more to assist ‘carry the harvest dwelling’ in help of Marion County’s much less lucky residents throughout this particular season,” stated Marion County Commissioner Kathy Bryant.
The trouble to gather canned meals and toiletry donations will culminate on Friday, December 2, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the Downtown Sq. in Ocala. The donated items will assist fill native meals pantries.

“This meals drive is what ensures that those that come to us in December get an ample quantity of meals, not simply vacation meals,“ stated Karla Grimsley, Interfaith Emergency Companies CEO.
Throughout final 12 months’s “Convey the Harvest Dwelling” occasion, almost 21,000 kilos of meals, child, and toiletry gadgets had been collected, together with financial donations that totaled almost $160,000. These donations had been shared among the many Salvation Army, Brother’s Keeper, and Interfaith Emergency Services.
Probably the most wanted gadgets this vacation season embody:
- Dry meals and complementary items (rice, pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, crackers, and peanut butter and jelly). Plastic containers are most well-liked.
- Canned meats (corned beef, corned beef hash, ham, and tuna).
- Canned greens and fruit.
- Child gadgets (child cereal, diapers, and lotion).
- Toiletries (cleaning soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and bathroom paper).
Donations could also be dropped off on the Downtown Sq. on Friday, December 2, or at many different areas via December 2.
The drop-off areas for donations embody public libraries, metropolis and county fireplace stations, Marion County Sheriff’s Workplace district workplaces, tax collector workplaces, Strong Waste recycling facilities, Ocala Police Division, Supervisor of Elections, Ocala Metropolis Corridor, Marion County Administration, and the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Financial Partnership headquarters.
For extra data on the “Convey the Harvest Dwelling” vacation meals drive, together with addresses for any of the drop-off areas, go to Marion County’s “Bring the Harvest Home” website or Facebook page.