Reaching the goal

The Mayor’s Seasonal Campaign Fund is slowly reaching its goal of raising the $4,000 needed to assist the Franklin County Food Pantry with the purchase of a tractor-trailer load of food. The food is for distribution to those among us who through providence are less fortunate.

Checks are slowly coming in and to date the fund has raised $3,275. If you haven’t already done so, it’s not too late to get involved and contribute to the fund.

Please make your check payable to the Mayor’s Seasonal Campaign Fund, drop it off, or mail it to City Hall at 1 Bay Avenue - Apalachicola.

Mayor raise cash for Food Pantry

Over the past four weeks, the Mayor’s office has worked feverishly to raise needed cash to purchase food for the Franklin County Food Pantry through what the Mayor hailed as his Seasonal Campaign Fund.

The Mayor first detailed the need for the fundraiser Nov. 2 on this blog and then emailed letters soliciting financial support to some local businesses and a list of vendors that trade with the city.

At last night’s Dec. 2 city commission meeting, the Mayor presented to Clarice Powell, Chair of the Franklin County Food Pantry about a dozen checks totaling $2,675 collected to purchase food for those among us who by providence are less fortunate.

The Mayor would like to thank all the individuals, vendors and local businesses who contributed to the 2008 Mayor’s Seasonal Campaign Fund, the citizen of Franklin County appreciate your kind generosity.

Video footage courtesy of Gail D. Johnson

Mayor's Seasonal Campaign

I am proud that the City of Apalachicola is fast becoming one of the more livable cities in our area and that we have been able to achieve this without compromising our heritage or our relationship to the environment. I am sure I speak for all of the staff and commissioners when I say thank you.

As we enter the holiday season, I’m reminded of those living among us who do not share fully in our level of comfort and blessings.

Easily 25% of the residents throughout Franklin County live below the federal poverty level. With the national and local economic crisis, declines in the real estate market and challenges before the seafood industry, this holiday large numbers of our residents will face bleak circumstances.

This season I have made it my personal challenge to do what I can to see that those who are less fortunate have something to look forward to, that’s why I have joined with the Franklin County Food Pantry to make sure all our residents have not only a holiday meal but also a meal throughout the year.

The goal is to raise the $4,000 necessary to purchase a tractor-trailer load of food from the Church of God organization in South Florida. We would be able to purchase 24,000 to 30,000 pounds of food at approximately 10 cents per pound. A truckload of this magnitude will be enough food for 3-4 months of distributions.

I hope you will join me by making a generous contribution to the “Mayor’s Seasonal Campaign”. I appreciate all your support and extend to you and your families the warmest of holiday blessings.

Please make your contribution check payable to:

The Franklin County Food Pantry
Attn: Mayor’s Seasonal Campaign
1 Bay Avenue
Apalachicola, Florida 32320

Thank you!

Van W. Johnson, Sr., Mayor
The Historic City of Apalachicola, Florida

For more information on the Franklin County Food Pantry, please contact Lori Switzer at (850) 323-0515.