The Pasco Sheriff’s Office’s annual Feeding Pasco’s Kids food drive will soon be accepting both monetary and food donations. The proceeds from this worthy cause will be given directly to local organizations whose mission is to provide support for homeless children and students.

This year those recipients include the Pasco School system and Metropolitan Ministries, who we are partnering with to distribute our food and funds collection to many worthy organizations throughout Pasco County.

According to the District School Board of Pasco County, there are 962 homeless students from 513 homeless families living in Pasco County alone. This includes those that are “doubled up,” or living in another’s household; living in shelters, or unsheltered.

Unfortunately, our deputies all too often see the results of malnourished children in our community, whether they are homeless or not. As you can imagine, school can be hard enough for students without the looming distraction of hunger.

Every year, we collect thousands of non-perishable boxed or canned food items, such as instant potatoes and canned vegetables. Please do not donate any food in glass containers, which break easily. We also collect monetary donations, which we calculate to be an equivalent of 2 food items for every dollar collected.

Beginning Monday, November 11, there will be donation boxes placed in the lobbies of Pasco Sheriff’s Office buildings throughout the county.

Several area churches have also agreed to have boxes located in their buildings to assist in the collection of food. Monetary donations can be made by check or money order to Pasco Sheriff’s Charities, with Food Drive in the “For” line. They can be mailed to Food Drive Donations, Pasco Sheriff’s Charities, 8700 Citizen Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34654.

The collection of food and monetary donations ends on Friday, December 13.

If you would like to donate or have any questions about Feeding Pasco’s Kids, please contact the Sheriff’s Community Relations Office at 1-727-844-7759, Monday – Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.