The United Food Bank of Plant City might be just one small piece of a global effort to end hunger, but it recently got big recognition from a national politician.
Marco Rubio, who has been a U.S. senator for Florida since 2010, released a book last month called “American Dreams: Restoring Economic Opportunity for Everyone.” Rubio, whose parents worked their way up to the middle class after immigrating to the U.S. from Cuba, has run on a platform of promoting the “American dream,” and his book addresses the topic in depth.
In chapter three, titled “Equal Opportunity, Equal Dignity, Equal Work,” Rubio poses the question of how to lift up the poor in order to make American society more prosperous for everyone. In this chapter, Rubio praises the United Food Bank of Plant City for its practical and thorough solutions to hunger in the community.
Christine Miller, director of the food bank, serves as the voice of the organization in the book.
“I think (Rubio) does a good job of explaining where my heart is,” Miller said.
In 2013, Rubio’s wife came across a news article about the United Food Bank of Plant City. She sought to learn more about the organization.
“She was pleased by the work we were doing, and they sent a very nice donation,” Miller said.
Miller wrote a thank-you letter to the Rubios for their donation, and soon after, one Rubio’s staffers contacted her. Correspondence continued, and in January 2014, Miller found herself amidst a series of telephone interviews with Rubio’s staffers, who wanted to know the inner workings of the food bank.
Miller knew the interviewers were gathering information for a book, but she did not know the full premise of the book, or how much of the information would be used, if any. When she picked up the book after it was published last month, she discovered that the food bank was a primary source throughout the third chapter.
At the beginning of the chapter, Rubio discusses the “war on poverty,” a concept introduced by President Lyndon B. Johnson. He writes that though the U.S. has been fighting this war for 51 years, the poverty rates have hardly changed.
“Christine is on the front lines of what President Johnson called not just a war but an ‘unconditional war’ on poverty,” Rubio writes. “Her job is to hand out food, but her clients need so much more. She’d like to help them escape their circumstances, not just survive them.”
Rubio identifies the mission of the food bank, whose slogan is “a hand up, not a hand out.” He commends the food bank for offering Money Smart, an FDIC financial guidance class that Miller is certified to teach, and for ensuring that clients are signed up for all governmental assistance they are eligible for.
“The Plant City food bank exists as a bridge between destitution and vast bureaucracy of federal programs for the poor,” Rubio writes.
Miller said she agreed with some of Rubio’s thoughts on poverty in the U.S.
“I think ‘war’ is a strong word, but it’s definitely a war. Our country is in a crisis,” Miller said.
Miller said she feels she was called to meet the community’s immediate need for food in emergency situations, but she hopes government leaders like Rubio will formulate and enact the policies that will lead to long-term solutions.
The United Food Bank of Plant City’s needs have continued to grow since Miller started her position in 2012. The food bank recently extended its hours to include evening distribution. The food bank has also begun accepting online donations, which can be given at ufbpc.org.
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.