‘Rock the Pantries’ food drive returns

Following the success of last year’s “Rock the Pantries” Food Drive, SJC Cultural Events, Inc. is bringing back the annual event at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall on Friday, Nov. 6. As the holiday season approaches, the drive invites the community to come together to help keep local food pantries stocked and support neighbors facing food insecurity.

From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., both venues will accept nonperishable food donations to benefit 14 food pantries, including Epic-Cure, St. Johns Food Pantry, Pie in the Sky Community Alliance, Betty Griffin House and other organizations serving families, seniors and individuals throughout St. Johns County.

For local food assistance organizations, the need for food continues to grow as more families seek help.

“2026 has brought more families to Epic-Cure than we have ever seen before,” explained Sunny Mulford, executive director of Epic-Cure. “More than 3,700 families who had never sought assistance from us before have come through our doors this year. Rock the Pantries is a chance for our community to come together and lighten that load.”

“Last year, our community showed up in a big way, donating more than 31,000 pounds of food to local food pantries. That says a lot about the people who call this community home,” said Gabe Pellicer, CEO and president of SJC Cultural Events, Inc., the 501(c)(3) organization that manages The St. Augustine Amphitheatre and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. “This year, we want to build on that momentum, collect even more and make sure we are doing everything we can to help local families heading into the holidays.”

Residents, businesses and community groups are encouraged to bring donations to the main parking lots of either venue and a member of the SJC Cultural Events staff will collect the donation. As a thank-you for their support, donors can enter to win a merchandise pack featuring items from The St. Augustine Amphitheatre and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. All items donated will be distributed to local food assistance organizations to help replenish their shelves; even a single item can make a difference.

Examples of nonperishable donations requested:                                                    

• Peanut butter

• Canned soup or stew

• Canned, dried or plastic packaged fruit or applesauce

• Canned beans and vegetables

• Cooking oils

• Canned tuna, salmon, ham or chicken

• Pasta, rice or instant potatoes

• Granola bars, nuts or crackers

• Box cereal or meal

Donations that cannot be accepted:                      

• Items needing refrigeration

• Expired food

• Leftovers

• Food with packaging concerns

• Baked goods

• Items with glass or cellophane packaging (can be broken in transit)

The venues: The St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340C A1A South, St. Augustine, and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, 1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra Beach.

For more information, go to www.theamp.com/events/detail/rock-the-pantries-2026 or pvconcerthall.com/events/detail/rock-the-pantries-2026.