More than 26,000 pounds of nonperishable food items were collected Tuesday as part of the Strike Out Hunger Food Drive.
People were asked to bring food items to Citizens Field for the event and to participate in a 12-hour hunger strike.
"When people go on a hunger strike, it's to protest something," said County Commissioner Rodney Long, who hosted the event.
"We did it in protest of the conditions we have in Alachua regarding hunger."
All of the food will be given to Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Gainesville Community Ministry and St. Francis House.
Donations came from Wal-Mart, private organizations and individuals who stopped by throughout the day to drop off cans, Long said.
The event was held to support the City of Gainesville - Alachua County Hunger Summit on Thursday.
At the summit, officials intend to develop a plan that will deal with the challenges and issues surrounding the county's hunger problem, Long said.
For example, he said, registration for food stamps is only available online, but people who need them often don't have a computer.
Others are often not willing to give away personal information that would make them eligible for assistance, Long said.
"The plan's purpose is to remove barriers that would allow us to provide food to those persons in need," he said.
