From noon to 2pm every Thursday, while supplies last, anyone can go to Sunshine Flea Market in Lake Wales, Florida and receive free bags of food, according to The Ledger. The food is provided by anonymous donors and is delivered by nonprofit ministry volunteers from the Stephen Ministries.
The volunteers offer free bags every Thursday to mothers, children, veterans, and the elderly at the Sunshine Flea Market, located at 24200 U.S. 27, across from The Home Depot. The Ledger reported that the volunteer in charge said they are in their third week of running the giveaway and that hundreds of bags of food have been given to the community, including perishables, produce and canned foods, and formula for infants.
Volunteers took the food bags and placed them into the trunks or passenger seats of vehicles in order to keep the proper social distancing measures. People were not allowed to get out of their vehicles due to the market’s giveaway guidelines, according to The Ledger.
So many volunteers are giving up their time to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Stephen Ministries are some of them. This organization does confidential work to help people walk through life-changing situations such as grief, illness, divorce, or death and no one in the program is allowed to give their name.
Since the Sunshine Flea Market has produce stands, food vendors, and some other businesses selling essential items, the market continues to stay open for those select vendors every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8am to 3pm. All vendors and guests are required to practice social distancing and keep their hands clean, with no large groups allowed. For more information and directions, visit the market’s website at www.sunshinefleamarket.com.