[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 14, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING PUBLIX FOR THEIR REMARKABLE WORK WITH COMMUNITY FOOD BANKS

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                          HON. SCOTT FRANKLIN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 14, 2024

  Mr. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the efforts of a stellar community partner and to extend my heartfelt 
appreciation to Lakeland, Florida's own Publix Supermarkets for their 
efforts to support Florida agriculture and address food insecurity 
across our communities.
  Today Publix will surpass a remarkable milestone in their commitment 
to help meet their neighbors' needs, donating their 100 millionth pound 
of produce to community food banks across the Southeast. Since 2020, 
Publix has partnered with 35 different foodbanks and donated more than 
23 million pounds of fresh produce to food banks serving the eight 
rural communities in my Congressional District.
  In the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Florida farmers were 
facing serious losses and business was drying up due to shutdowns, 
Publix began buying surplus produce at fair market value. What began as 
a small idea has given way to an innovative program that makes an 
irreplaceable impact to our local communities.
  Mr. Speaker, if you ask anyone from Florida--and increasingly all 
over the South--Publix is a fixture of our State's identity and 
culture. That's not just because shopping there is a pleasure--but 
because they have proven a consistent dedication to the communities 
they serve.
  I once again commend Publix on this important milestone.

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