Second Harvest of the Big Bend expands resources

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Second Harvest of the Big Bend is known for its food service programs normally, but Friday morning the organization brought other resources to a community event.

Organization leaders from Second Harvest partnered with the Neighborhood Medical Center, Career Source, and other community programs directly to the people of Nekoma Lane.

Neighborhood liaison, Summer Hill Seven, said he’d been working alongside Monique Van Pelt to bring distributions out to the community.

He explained that after the pandemic, a lot of people were not able to get out and go get the things that they needed, and felt bringing the resources to them would be more beneficial.

When Pelt asked how Second Harvest could assist in other ways, Seven shared the needs of his neighbors.

“It makes me feel like I can exhale,” said Patrice Longmire, a longtime resident of the area.

Longmire was able to pick up bags of corn, meat and other non-perishable items provided at the resource fair.

The neighborhood medical center offered checkups, and the career source provided information for job seekers.

Seven said he was excited to see public defenders in a booth, offering legal advice to residents in the area.

Jessica Yeary, who is a public defender, said events like this is how the community will continue to move forward.

“Partnering with the entire community on every resource available just strengthens our relationship not only with the people we serve but in the community as a whole,” Yeary said.

Although Seven did not wish to take credit for the event coming together, he said that he is hopeful more resources will continue to come to the people in his community, and throughout the other neighborhoods of Tallahassee.

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