How Donated Food Reaches Tallahassee Families Facing Transportation Barriers

Donating food is only the beginning of the journey.

Before donated groceries can reach a senior living on a fixed income, a family without reliable transportation, or a person with a disability, someone must receive the food, organize it, transport it, and distribute it through a location people can access.

That is where For the Least of These Inc. and our community partners come in.

Where Does the Food Come From?

Food distributed through FTLOT’s Collaborative Food Distribution Program is donated through our partnership with Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Maranatha receives and makes food available for community distribution. Depending on availability, donations may include:

• Fresh or frozen meat

• Milk and other dairy products

• Fruits and vegetables

• Bread and bakery products

• Shelf-stable groceries

• Prepared or packaged food

• Other donated food items

The type and amount of food available may vary from week to week because the program depends on donated products.

Maranatha also distributes food directly to the public every Thursday from 3:00–6:00 p.m. at:

Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church
3121 Jim Lee Road
Tallahassee, FL 32301

Why Is Transportation So Important?

Food may be available, but that does not mean everyone can reach it.

Some Tallahassee and Leon County residents face transportation barriers because they:

• Do not own a vehicle

• Cannot afford gas or transportation costs

• Have a disability or limited mobility

• Are seniors who no longer drive

• Work during regular pantry hours

• Care for children or other family members

• Live far from available distribution locations

• Depend on public transportation

These barriers can prevent people from reaching a food pantry even when they qualify for assistance.

FTLOT’s role is to help move donated food closer to the people who need it.

Step 1: Coordinating With Community Partners

Before a distribution takes place, FTLOT communicates with Maranatha and participating community locations to determine:

• What food is available

• When it can be picked up

• Which community location will receive it

• Approximately how many households may need assistance

• Whether volunteers are available

• How the food will be transported and safely handled

Community partnerships allow each organization to contribute its strengths. One partner may provide food, another may provide an accessible distribution location, and volunteers may assist with transportation, organization, and distribution.

Step 2: Receiving and Organizing the Food

When food becomes available, FTLOT volunteers or representatives help receive and organize the donated items.

This may involve:

• Counting donated products

• Separating refrigerated, frozen, and shelf-stable items

• Checking packaging and product condition

• Organizing food for safe transportation

• Placing items in boxes or reusable bags

• Preparing the food for delivery to a community location

Because donated inventory changes, every distribution may look different. FTLOT works to distribute available food fairly while considering household size and the types of products received.

Step 3: Transporting Food to Accessible Locations

The food must then be loaded and transported from the pickup location to an approved community distribution site.

FTLOT has worked with locations such as:

• Smith-Williams Senior Center

• Elevate Church

• Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church

• Bethel Towers

• Other trusted churches, residential communities, and community organizations

Transporting donated food involves real operating costs even when the food itself is free. These costs may include:

• Fuel

• Mileage

• Vehicle use and maintenance

• Food-safe bags and boxes

• Coolers, carts, and storage containers

• Loading and unloading supplies

• Other distribution materials

Support for transportation allows FTLOT to continue moving donated food into neighborhoods where residents can more easily receive it.

Step 4: Distributing Food With Dignity

At the distribution location, volunteers unload and organize the food before households arrive or before items are delivered directly.

Volunteers may:

• Set up the distribution area

• Assemble food packages

• Help residents carry food

• Load food into vehicles

• Maintain household and individual service counts

• Clean and organize the area after distribution

Food is provided at no cost. FTLOT does not distribute grant funds or donations to recipients as unrestricted cash through this program.

We also work to protect personal information and avoid unnecessarily identifying households receiving assistance.

Step 5: Recording the Community Impact

Accurate records help FTLOT understand community needs and responsibly report how donated resources are used.

For each distribution, FTLOT may document:

• The distribution date and location

• The participating community partner

• The number of households serviced

• The number of individuals serviced

• Available age and demographic information

• The number of volunteers

• Notes about the distribution

• Supporting sign-in sheets or source documents

Some households receive assistance more than once. For that reason, FTLOT reports household and individual service encounters rather than claiming that every monthly count represents a different person.

This honest reporting helps donors, community partners, and grant funders understand both the reach of the program and the continuing nature of food insecurity.

More Than Food

A food distribution provides groceries, but it can also provide relief.

For a senior, receiving food close to home may mean not having to choose between groceries and medication. For a parent, it may help provide meals until the next paycheck. For someone without transportation, a nearby distribution may be the difference between having access to donated food and going without it.

Every delivery represents cooperation among donors, churches, community organizations, volunteers, and the people who trust us to serve them respectfully.

How Can You Help?

Community members and businesses can support the Collaborative Food Distribution Program in several ways:

• Donate toward fuel and transportation costs

• Provide reusable grocery bags, boxes, or food-safe containers

• Volunteer to load, unload, organize, or distribute food

• Sponsor transportation equipment or storage supplies

• Offer an accessible community distribution location

• Share verified food-assistance information

• Introduce FTLOT to businesses interested in community partnerships

To volunteer, donate, or discuss a partnership, contact For the Least of These Inc. at info@ftlot.org or visit www.ftlot.org.

Together, we can help move food from where it is available to where it is needed most.

Last updated August 24, 2026.