Local food pantries often find their stock of non-perishable food items depleted after the holidays. The Nature Coast Volunteer Center (NCVC) and AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP will be holding a food drive in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., who once asked, “What are you doing for others?”

The goal is to help local food pantries serve the citizens of Citrus County by providing nutritional food for their families.

Non-perishable food donations will be collected from December 13, 2021, through January 14, 2022. Collection boxes will be set up at the Citrus County Resource Center (CCRC) in Lecanto, all Citrus County libraries, and four community centers, as well as the Citrus County Tax Collector’s offices.

A special drive-thru drop-off location for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Healthy Food Drive will be located at the CCRC at 2804 W Marc Knighton Court, Lecanto, on Friday, January 14, 2022. Volunteers will be on hand to collect non-perishables that will go out to our local pantries.

Martin Luther King devoted his life to advancing equality, social justice, and opportunity for all and voiced that everyone has a role to play in making America what it ought to be. By serving on this day and throughout the year we honor Dr. King and help realize his dream of equality and opportunity for all. NCVC is encouraging residents to gather friends, neighbors, church groups, clubs, and civic organizations to join us in supporting these projects by registering to volunteer.

The public is welcome to join NCVC from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm on Friday, January 14, 2022, at the CCRC in Lecanto to sort, count, and pack the non-perishables that will go out to local pantries. There will be light refreshments at the event, and volunteers are encouraged to register ahead of time.

For more information or to register for the event, please contact the Nature Coast Volunteer Center at (352)527-5959 or via e-mail at ncvc@citrusbocc.com.