PUNTA GORDA -- The Bread of Life Mission will be distributing free fresh cucumbers, bananas and other fresh vegetables to those in need Monday.

The homeless mission is expecting a semi-truck half-loaded with the fresh produce at 9 a.m. Monday at the corner of Cooper and Helen streets in Punta Gorda. For more information, call the Bread of Life at 941-575-4440.

The homeless mission needs help and asks for volunteers to help unload the truck at 9 a.m. Monday. Bread of Life president Judy Jones also asks if someone could offer the mission the use of a forklift to assist in the unloading.

Bread of Life works regularly with Farm Share, a nonprofit charity based in Homestead, Fla., that regularly delivers a variety of fresh vegetables and other foods to the area for individuals and organizations in need. However, this is the first truck the Punta Gorda mission has seen in a while.

"It's because of the gasoline prices and shows how gas prices are affecting the working poor," Jones said.

Farm Share collects vegetables and fruit from Florida farmers and food distributors who have surpluses that are too unattractive to sell. The Bread of Life is a just one of Farm Share's partner agencies and churches throughout the state.

For more information about Farm Share or to make a donation, call toll-free, 888-749-3276.

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