Local businesses donate more than $14k to food desert community in honor of Black History Month

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Amazon and Altar’d State spent the weekend giving back at White Harvest Farms during its 2nd annual food festival, ‘The Roots of Southern Cuisine Food Festival.’

Amazon was the title sponsor, donating $2500 to the Mission so that they could provide hot meals for free to the community.

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The festival was hosted at White Harvest Farms in Historic Moncrief Springs, a neighborhood considered to be a food desert.

Black owned restaurants in Jacksonville catered local favorites that pay tribute to Black History Month. Each dish tells the story of how Africa influenced America’s favorite southern foods. Holley’s BBQ, Annie Ru’s, Mackey’s Munchies, Two Cooking Cousins, and The Herban Bee were featured as the vendors.

Altar’d State presented a check for $12,000 to contribute to more feeding programs at the Clara White Mission. This donation was part of Altar’d State Stand Out For Good Mission Monday campaign.

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It’s a give back program where 10% of net proceeds in store and online sales go directly to a local non-profit organization. This year the Altar’D State store of St. Johns Town Center selected Clara White Mission for their Winter theme, “Feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless”.

Employees from both Amazon and Altar’d State showed up to volunteer and collaborate with the Mission for this community outreach event.

More than 200 people were fed hot meals for free. In total both businesses donated $14,500 to the Clara White Mission. The mission was also able to donate fresh produce and dry goods to seniors in need.

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In 2019, the City of Jacksonville commissioned a Food Desert Study for this area and reported that 38 percent of census tracts in Northwest Jacksonville were food deserts, compared to 23 percent for the entire city (Source: The Northwest Jacksonville Food Desert Study Report, March 18, 2019).

White Harvest Farms is located in census tracts where 41 percent of residents live below the poverty level. These food giveaways are an effort to provide access to healthy food for low-income, low access area.

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