CROS Ministries receives FFVA’s 2017 Karen and Mike Stuart Humanitarian Award

On Tuesday, Sept. 26 the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) presented CROS Ministries with the Inaugural Karen and Mike Stuart Humanitarian Award at FFVA’s 74th Annual Convention on Amelia Island. CROS received the recognition for its outstanding efforts in improving communities and the lives of their residents. FFVA Board Member and Palm City grower John Long, of Agri-Gators Inc., nominated the organization for the award. “I am so proud of our partnership with CROS Ministries,” said Long. “I could not think of a more fitting way to honor the work they do in feeding the hungry in South Florida.”

CROS Ministries has provided food and essential services to the most vulnerable in South Florida for close to 40 years. Its mission is to serve the hungry in Palm Beach and Martin Counties through community collaborations. CROS serves the hungry by distributing food, assisting people struggling to meet basic needs, serving a hot meal to someone walking through its doors, offering a safe summer camp experience, and sometimes just lending a listening ear.

Programs include seven community food pantries, a hot meal program; summer camp for children from families with low incomes, a weekend food program for children attending select Title I Schools, and gleaning, a food recovery program. All services are provided without regard to race, religion, national origin, marital status, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or age.

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association is Florida’s leading full-service specialty crop organization, serving Florida’s grower-shipper community since 1943. FFVA represents a broad range of crops, including vegetables, citrus, tropical fruit, berries, sod, sugar cane, tree crops and more. Its mission is to enhance the business and competitive environment for producing and marketing fruits, vegetables and other crops.