On Friday, November 6, the community answered the call to help replenish local food pantries ahead of the holidays and donated 7 tons of food and supplies during the annual “Rock the Pantries” Food Drives at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. Pallets filled with dry goods, beans, canned vegetables, cooking oils, diapers and more accumulated throughout the day as community members delivered donations to the venues. On Saturday, November 7, the donations were distributed to 17 food pantries serving an estimated 6,700 families in St. Johns County. 

 

Organized by SJC Cultural Events, Inc., the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates and manages The St. Augustine Amphitheatre and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, the food drive was held to keep local food pantries stocked and support neighbors facing food insecurity. The 17 food pantries that received donations include Apostolic Lighthouse Church, Betty Griffin House, Bible Baptist Church, Epic-Cure, Family Church, Flagler Estates Pentecostal, Home Again St. Johns, Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County, Mary H. Lewis Food Pantry, Pie in the Sky Community Alliance, SEA Community Center, St. Augustine Youth Services, St. Francis House, St. Johns Ecumenical Ministries, St. Johns Food Pantry, The Simon’s House and We Feed St. Augustine.

 

“Our community rallied and showed up for those in need this year,” said Gabe Pellicer CEO & President of SJC Cultural Events, Inc. “Because people took the time to give, our local food pantries have more food to share with neighbors who are counting on them this holiday season. We’re grateful to everyone who donated and to the pantry teams who get these critical donations out to families.”

 

This year marks the second consecutive year that SJC Cultural Events, Inc. has hosted holiday food drives at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. “Rock the Pantries” will return in 2027.