[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 103 (Tuesday, June 18, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING OLIVE GRAY AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR 
                        CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MONTH

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                            HON. DARREN SOTO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 18, 2024

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, Olive Gray's dedication to serving her 
community stems from her upbringing in Jamaica, where she learned the 
importance of sharing from her mother. This passion for helping others 
became her legacy when she began running food pantries in Central 
Florida over 30 years ago.
  Today, Gray leads one of the largest food pantries out of Apopka, 
Florida, serving 1,500-1,800 families every two weeks in Orange County. 
Her leadership at the Mt. Olive SDA Worship and Education Center food 
pantry is bolstered by the co-leadership of her husband, Elder Lenworth 
Gray. Their tireless work has been recognized by the Second Harvest 
Food Bank's 2017 Feed Award and featured in the DailyMail and local 
news stations such as WESH 2.
  Gray's commitment goes beyond her role at the pantry. A Jamaican 
immigrant, she embodies the spirit of the Caribbean community. After 
immigrating to the United States in the late 1980s, she balanced 
entrepreneurship with social work, supporting people with special 
needs. Since moving to Florida in the mid-1990s, she has consistently 
dedicated herself to serving her community through her church. 
Motivated by her desire to see people happy and well-fed, particularly 
children, Gray has always volunteered her time in food service, she has 
never received a salary. She firmly believes that no one should go 
hungry, and as long as she has the ability to share, she will-following 
the example of her mother, who did the very same for her Jamaican 
community.

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