A way for people to help people

HOLMES COUNTY – A social media movement has found its way to Holmes County in the form of two different non-profit organizations, Eye of Hope Recovery Advocates and Blessed to Blessing Boxes.  

Both organizations have placed a dozen boxes in various locations in Holmes County that are filled with non-perishable food items and necessity items for whoever may be in need, with more locations to be added in the future. 

Tracy Reynolds builds the boxes for Blessed to Blessing and says he initially found the project
when he lived in the Pensacola/Mobile area and knew he wanted to bring
it to Holmes County when his family relocated to Bonifay. “There is a need for the basics in food and necessities in our area so I knew I wanted to help,” said Reynolds. “The pandemic hit a lot of people hard, these boxes are a way for people, to help people.” 

Eye of Hope Recovery Program President Samantha Peacock says while they want to help everyone, they know the children can be the ones who suffer the most. “People fall on hard times, and sometimes even our children don’t have access to the things they need,” said Peacock. ”It isn’t for us to judge we just want you to know we are here and we see the needs.” 

Many areas of the Panhandle are economically depressed made worse by the uptick of unemployment due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, this can lead to families going hungry, these boxes are a way to help feed even one. School will be out in a couple of weeks and some children wonÂ’t receive the meals they rely on each day, this is a way to make sure they have a meal to eat. 

Donations are accepted for the boxes and can be done directly at the box or they can be dropped off at CC Designs on Oklahoma Street in Bonifay or at Westville Town Hall.  

These are some of the items that can be found in the boxes:  regular size container of peanut butter small containers of jelly, nuts, bottled spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles or any kind of noodles, ramen, mac and cheese, apple juice or any drink in containers that do not need refrigeration, instant grits, oatmeal, pepperoni, boxed cereal, smaller containers of powdered milk, jar gravy or the gravy packets, cans of chili, canned vegetables, chips , crackers , cookies , mild salsa, canned chicken or tuna , vienna sausages, sardines, spam, smaller sizes of condiments like ketchup and mustard, salt, pepper, jerky, dried fruit, canned fruit, bandaids , ointment, small toiletries such as soap, deodorant, feminine hygiene items, toothpaste, baby wipes, and diapers. 

If
anyone is interested in placing a box at your business you can contact
both programs through their Facebook pages, Blessed to Blessing Boxes
for Holmes County Florida and Eye of Hope Recovery Advocates.