Business and Financial Bob Spencer Recognized with Feeding Hope Award

PALMETTO – Bob Spencer, Vice President of West Coast Tomato, was presented with the inaugural Feeding Hope Award from the Florida Association of Food Banks on Monday at a ceremony held at the company's headquarters in Palmetto. Spencer was instrumental in the creation of Farmers Feeding Florida, a food recovery and donation program that the company has provided with nearly two million pounds of tomatoes to help feed hungry families throughout the state.

The program helps get foods that do not make it to market because of blemishes or price fluctuations into local food bank programs, where it can be distributed to people in need. As the economic woes of the last several years have continued to impact Florida families, leaving more in need of such assistance, programs like like Farmers Feeding Florida have been instrumental in making sure that families who have not been able to provide themselves with consistent access to adequate food resources have a place to turn, by providing food banks with much-needed supply.

Bob Spencer of West Coast Tomato receiving the Feeding Hope Award. Photo by Merab Favorite	Bob Spencer and Bradenton City Commissioner Marianne Barnebey at the ceremony. Photo by Merab Favorite