![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/POVERTY-HUNGER.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/PovertyAChilds.jpg?resize=640%2C480&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/childabuse.jpg?resize=646%2C743&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nWith the poverty rate nearing 20% that means 1 of every 5 people is below the poverty rate in Lakeland Florida.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 59% of all Polk County households fall below the 200%\npoverty rate why? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearly 20,000 of the 100,035 Lakeland residents reported\nincome levels below the poverty line in the last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 2017 poverty rates in Lakeland have been inching upward. It\u2019s even worse if you are Black 33.5% or Hispanic 24.7%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Poverty rate by school enrollment is unbelievable:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Poverty rates by community:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Food Banks and Pantries are over run with need but are own elected government officals will not step up and help those in need, why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n And some the product that the local pantries are getting now is out of expiration date by two to six months. This will make people very ill and may cause great harm to a child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We thank the suppliers for the donations but most of the products go to waste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What Lakeland needs is a centralized distribution system to get the donations quickly to the ones in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MidWest Food Bank<\/a> is currently looking for land and the funds in the I4 \/ Lakeland corridor to build a 100,000 sqft warehouse is a centralized distribution hub <\/a>to get the donations quickly in and out to the ones in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Midwest Food Bank currently distributes over $18.5 million\nworth of food to over 1,700 non-profits each month. They stand ready for\ndisaster relief efforts and can get food-filled relief boxes to those in need,\nwithin 24 hours. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the valuable work of\nour volunteers, and most importantly, the blessings of God, Midwest Food Bank\nnow shares the blessings worldwide. $229 million worth of food was distributed\nin 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/42886513-homeless-mother-with-her-daughter-poor-family-.jpg?w=1110&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/poverty-mother.jpg?resize=570%2C388&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/I00002D2evxO.qww_.jpg?resize=1000%2C667&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n Auburndale\n <\/td> \n 17.0% \n <\/td><\/tr> Babson Park <\/td> \n 17.5% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Bartow\n <\/td> \n 18.9% \n <\/td><\/tr> Combee Settlement <\/td> \n 27.0% \n <\/td><\/tr> Crooked Lake Park <\/td> \n 35.5% \n <\/td><\/tr> Crystal Lake <\/td> \n 35.3% \n <\/td><\/tr> Cypress Gardens <\/td> \n 8.2% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Davenport\n <\/td> \n 15.3% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Dundee\n <\/td> \n 32.6% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Eagle\n Lake\n <\/td> \n 15.2% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Fort\n Meade\n <\/td> \n 18.8% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Frostproof\n <\/td> \n 23.1% \n <\/td><\/tr> Haines City <\/td> \n 28.6% \n <\/td><\/tr> Highland City <\/td> \n 7.8% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Kathleen\n <\/td> \n 23.7% \n <\/td><\/tr> Lake Alfred <\/td> \n 21.3% \n <\/td><\/tr> Lake Hamilton <\/td> \n 10.3% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Lakeland\n <\/td> \n 19.9% \n <\/td><\/tr> Lakeland Highlands <\/td> \n 4.2% \n <\/td><\/tr> Lake Wales <\/td> \n 21.1% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Medulla\n <\/td> \n 13.9% \n <\/td><\/tr> \n Mulberry\n <\/td> \n 19.6% \n <\/td><\/tr> Polk City <\/td> \n 19.9% \n <\/td><\/tr> Winter Haven <\/td> \n 18.7% \n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/international-warehouses-ecommerce-guide.jpg?resize=810%2C340&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n