As homeless clients lined up for lunch Friday, several pitched in as thousands of free watermelons, tomatoes and bottles of flavored water arrived at local agencies from a South Florida farmer's group. Three agencies that serve homeless and low-income people in Volusia and Flagler counties were given hundreds of boxes of free produce from Farm Share. The Florida City-based nonprofit distributes food donated by farmers and wholesalers that otherwise may not be sold in stores because they may have blemishes, are not considered grade A quality or may be overstocked.

The STAR Center in Daytona Beach, the First United Methodist Church in DeLand and The Neighborhood Center in DeLand were all given the free food and water. Those agencies contacted others to pick up some of the 22,000 pounds of produce provided from companies such as Dulcinea Farms. "It's nice to get donations like this," said Brian Willard, executive director of the STAR Center, which feeds 300 people a day. "It's just a nice little surprise for our guests."

Rep. Joyce Cusack, D-DeLand, who has served with area groups that help the homeless, was contacted by Farm Share this week asking if she had people in her district needing food. Cusack helped coordinate the delivery to the various agencies.
"I have a special place in my heart for the downtrodden," said Cusack, who is finishing out her last of eight years in the Legislature. "We are all just one paycheck away from being homeless ourselves. This is what life is all about -- people helping people."

Continuing her mission, she's sponsoring legislation this session in which people could choose to donate $1 during driver's license and vehicle tag renewal that would go to homeless needs. Antonio Hester, 47, who is living on the streets, helped unload food at the homeless center on North Street. "Thank God for good people," he said.
Roy "Dog" Perkins, 56, has been on and off the streets for more than 10 years. As he ate lunch Friday, he said he's grateful for the donations. "There's a lot of people on the streets who can't survive without this place," he said.

Randy Croy, executive director of Serenity House, which received some of the produce at its substance abuse treatment centers in DeLand, said the donation of expensive fruits and vegetables is a "treasure this time of year for our clients."
Brenda Wood, program grant coordinator at The Neighborhood Center in DeLand, said she has seen a large increase in people needing assistance, so every donation helps. The center already has given out 238 food bags to needy people and families compared to 461 in January 2007. "I think it's fantastic. I think it's melonlicious," Wood said. "The economy is so bad, people just don't have jobs and can't find work."