Seven local residents without insurance received a wonderful holiday gift: a new knee or hip as part of BayCare’s participation in Operation Walk.

St. Pete Free Clinic CEO Jennifer Yeagley said she has seen a steady increase in need for food assistance that’s coincided with climbing grocery costs and cost-of-living increases over the past year.

Two weeks after it allocated nearly $24 million to affordable housing projects, the St. Petersburg City Council distributed another $9.1 million to create social service hubs and address the city’s food deserts.