Daily Bread Food Bank Moves from Hurricane Response to Recovery; Focus Shifting to Help Communities with Lasting Effects of Storm.

MIAMI -- RESPONSE:

Since Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida, Daily Bread Food Bank has already distributed over 375,000 pounds of food including 2,056 family packs to some of the hardest hit areas in South Florida. In the first week alone, America's Second Harvest (A2H), the Nation's Food Bank Network has supplied Daily Bread Food Bank a half a million pounds of food and water and shipped an additional 14 truckloads of water to the Homestead Air Force Base for distribution to hurricane victims. Food is still coming in by the truckload as more and more impacted communities are identified. DBFB has been working with FEMA, the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, the Broward Sheriff's office, the Emergency Operations Centers in all three counties, the United Way, Farm Share, Cooperative Feeding Program, Faith Farm Ministries, and many others to respond to the needs of the South Florida community.

RECOVERY:

The effects of Hurricane Wilma are not limited to the rain and wind experienced on October 24th. The long lasting effects will be felt throughout the community for the next few weeks and even months. As the disaster relief distribution sites begin closing down, the responsibility of serving the community will now be placed on Daily Bread Food Bank and the other not-for-profit organizations that are already strained by the enormous need in South Florida. Daily Bread Food Bank is now shifting into a recovery mode to assist those affected by the storm. Daily Bread will continue to receive product from A2H, distribute family packs to heavily impacted areas and distribute product to other not-for-profit organizations to address the on-going needs of the community.

"As we move from response to recovery, we will continue to work in a coordinated effort with other not-for-profit organizations within our community," said Judith Gatti, Executive Director of Daily Bread Food Bank. "In the days that followed Hurricane Wilma, it was extraordinary to see so many organizations collectively working to build bridges and break down walls to serve the community. It is during this difficult time that we can truly see what the community is capable of doing when we all work together. It has been a privilege for Daily Bread to be a part of this."

Daily Bread Food Bank- Daily Bread Food Bank is a not-for-profit organization that distributes approximately 18 million pounds of food a year through a network of 1,000 not-for-profit agencies in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Through member agencies' feeding programs for children in need, the mentally and physically challenged, battered women, the elderly, people living with HIV/AIDS, the homeless and the working poor, Daily Bread strives to serve those in need with compassion and impartiality. Daily Bread Food Bank also undertakes to be an advocate for those in need by educating and engaging our community at large to fight hunger and poverty. For more information, please visit www.DailyBread.org.