ReportWire

Tag: APP Food Insecurity & Unemployment

  • Manatee County businesses serve free food to SNAP-impacted families

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    HOLMES BEACH, Fla. — While the federal government shutdown continues, White House officials have said this month’s SNAP benefits will be partially covered by an emergency fund.

    But with families still unsure when the benefits will be fully reinstated, local businesses are stepping up to the plate to serve free meals to the people who need them.

    What You Need To Know

    • While the federal government shutdown continues, White House officials have said this month’s SNAP benefits will be partially covered by an emergency fund

    • Local businesses like Paradise Cafe in Holmes Beach are serving meals for free to families whose SNAP benefits have been impacted by the shutdown

    • Co-owner Jackie Estes says if families want to come eat for free at Paradise Café, all they have to do is show their SNAP card and identification

    In the hospitality industry, Jackie Estes, co-owner of Paradise Café in Holmes Beach, knows that being successful is about more than just taking orders.

    “What I love about my job is the people I meet — people from all over the world,” she said. “After 30 years, I have customers that keep coming back.”

    And now she’s welcoming people who need help.

    Last week, the café announced on social media that they would offer free food for any family whose SNAP benefits have been impacted. Already, some families have taken them up on the offer.

    “We just started it. It just got on a couple of days ago, and we just had one guy with three little boys,” Estes said. “The kids sat down, and we made the pancakes, and they had a great time.”

    She said she will continue serving up hot plates until SNAP benefits are fully reinstated. She believes that even small acts of kindness can make a difference.

    “I just hope that everybody that has a chance to do something small,” she said. “You don’t have to do anything big and major. Do it in your community.”

    Estes said she knows she is making an impact and hopes others will do the same.

    Estes says that if families want to come eat for free at the Paradise Café, all they have to do is show their SNAP card and identification.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Dunedin food bank worried about federal funding cuts

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    DUNEDIN, Fla. — Federal spending cuts to the Department of Agriculture for food programs have some food pantries concerned.

    What You Need To Know

    • President Trump and DOGE have cut USDA programs that help food insecure people 

    • Florida received around $46.4 million from the USDA before cuts

    • Dunedin Cares provides food for 50 to 75 families on any given day 


    Florida received around $46.4 million from the USDA through the local food purchase assistance program established under the Biden Administration in 2021. President Trump and DOGE cancelled that program.

    Dunedin Cares is a food pantry in Dunedin that provides food for 50 to 75 families on any given day. Executive Director Kristina Garcia says it’s vital for so many families in need.

    “We are what you call a choice food pantry, which is kind of unique, so our guests come in and they get a number, and they literally shop with a cart,” Garcia said.

    Garcia says that some of the items come from donations, but a big portion comes from Feeding Tampa Bay.

    With the federal cuts, she is worried about the future.

    “We don’t know yet to be honest, we will have to see, if the USDA loses funding, that’s who funds Feeding America which funds Feeding Tampa. Feeding Tampa Bay funds all the agencies, that’s what we are considered, an agency,” Garcia said.

    There may be some relief in Florida as the state Senate’s proposed budget is allocating $50 million for food bank grants.

    If passed, it includes two grant programs through the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

    One is for $12 million to expand food banks in rural areas and the other is $38 million to help food banks buy products from Florida farmers.

    However, while food insecurity is addressed in the Senate budget, the House Agriculture proposal doesn’t include either program.

    For Garcia, she is worried about future funding.

    “We hope to be able to continue to keep our donor base and that would be allow us to purchase some of those items but there is no way we will be able to keep up with the supply and demand, its just not going to be possible,” Garcia said.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Citrus County Blessings has helped feed students, families for 15 years

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    LECANTO, Fla. — A Citrus County nonprofit is helping provide security when it comes to food and meals for families in need.

    What You Need To Know

    • For 15 years, Citrus County Blessings has been operating its hunger relief program, helping ensure no child goes hungry in the county

    • The pantry serves five primary schools — assisting more than 900 students

    • Work is made possible thanks to the 400 volunteers who help out every month

    • According to the nonprofit, 23% of Citrus County’s school-age children are in poverty and are food insecure


    For 15 years, Citrus County Blessings has been operating its hunger relief program that is helping ensure no child goes hungry in the county.

    “Our enrollments this year have reached just over 3,000 kids in Citrus County,” said operations director Rachelle Garrett Butler.

    Working at an assembly line, volunteers with the nonprofit pack bags filled with food to help feed students throughout Citrus County.

    “We are the weekend food program for children in Citrus County that may lack access to nutrition on the weekends when they’re home not receiving the breakfast and lunches that the schools provide,” said Butler.

    The pantry serves five primary schools — assisting more than 900 students.

    That’s made possible thanks to the 400 volunteers who help out every month, including volunteers like Debbie Greenbaum, a former teacher.

    “When I was a teacher, I was the one who got the bags from the volunteers and gave them to the students,” said Greenbaum. “So when I came here, I said I wanted to be on the other end- I want to be able to pack the bags for the teachers.”

    It’s volunteers like Greenbaum and her team who help make the work possible.

    “They pack once a month for their school and then the next week we have another team come in and they pack for that school,” said Christina Reed, executive director of Citrus County Blessings. “It makes it really easy for them to just come in, grab everything … and then take it over to the school.”

    The work being done is quite impactful for the community.

    “23% of our school-age children are in poverty here and are food insecure,” said Reed. “Having a program like this where we can reach those kids and make sure they have food to get them thru the weekends so they can come to school ready to learn.”

    The program has evolved over its 15 years of existence, expanding the types of foods they send home to students — like fresh fruit.

    “We’re constantly working on our program to evolve it, to look at what foods we can send home and always looking to provide more nutritional foods for our kids,” Reed said. “We have one more big holiday pack for spring break and then we’ll go right into our summer program.”

    Those with Citrus County Blessings say because they are growing, they hope to have a larger space in the future. Helping serve even more students throughout the county.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Lakeland church prepares to help hundreds in Milton recovery event

    Lakeland church prepares to help hundreds in Milton recovery event

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Lakeland residents will be able to access many of the resources they need in one location on Wednesday. Combee Connection Ministries and Church is teaming up with several organizations for a community recovery outreach.

    What You Need To Know

    • Combee Connection Church is hosting a Hurricane Milton recovery outreach on Wednesday.

    • The church is teaming up with nearly 20 agencies to provide resources and services.

    • The event will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.


    Church members spent most of Tuesday preparing for the event. With them was Savannah Gary, who has volunteered for Combee Connection several times this year.

    “I just wanted to give back and help people in our community. I grew up here. This is home,” she said.

    Gary lives just a few blocks from the church building. She shared photos of the day after Hurricane Milton made landfall, which severely damaged parts of her home.

    “We got our roof ripped off and our carport,” she said. “We lost power for four days, but as soon as I got power, we came out here and started working. This church actually helped me, so I help back.”

    The church has been connecting people to resources and services since 2017, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. But Pastor Kay Kasser says Wednesday will be their largest outreach yet.

    “It’s been a really big response. We’re looking for overflow parking, if that gives you an indicator,” she said.

    Kasser says they’re teaming up with more than 20 agencies to help community members, including the Red Cross and AmeriCorps.

    Once people sign in, they’ll receive assistance and boxes of food. They’ll also have access to portable laundry rooms and showers, which Pastor Kasser says residents in flooded areas need right now.

    “And when there’s a need, we’re here as a church to meet that need. That’s what we’re called to do,” she said.

    As for Gary, she’s looking forward to being of service, helping others at Combee Connection Church while she searches for some relief herself.

    The community event will run Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you would like to volunteer or make a donation, click here.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • New Port Richey food pantry seeing more seniors seeking help

    New Port Richey food pantry seeing more seniors seeking help

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    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — At St. Vincent De Paul in New Port Richey, boxes of food are distributed throughout the week to people of all backgrounds.

    The center is noticing a growing trend of more seniors seeking help.

    What You Need To Know

    • St. Vincent De Paul noticing a growing trend of seniors seeking help

    • According to a 2023 study by Meals on Wheels, 12 million seniors nationwide experience food insecurity or hunger

    • Vera Koehnke says seniors have to pick and chose what they can pay for, and that’s why many turn to food pantries to help

    Vera Koehnke is the vice president of St. Vincent De Paul and helps coordinate giving out food. She said that in March the center served nearly 2,700 people, many of them elderly.

    “Seniors 65 plus is 721 (meals). It’s high,” Koehnke said.

    She said it’s tough for many who are on a fixed income.

    “We have seniors that live in their cars. Women, they can’t afford the rents. The rents are too high for them. Their spouses passed away, they lost an income, so they cannot afford housing and they will end up on the streets,” Koehnke said.

    According to a 2023 study by Meals on Wheels, 12 million seniors nationwide experience food insecurity or hunger.

    “We basically hear different stories. People will come in and we do help with electric bills. We help with water bills. We help people with their prescriptions. Different things we help them with,” Koehnke said.

    Koehnke says it’s a tough situation with rising costs in housing, food and energy. She says seniors have to pick and chose what they can pay for, and that’s why many turn to food pantries to help.

    She doesn’t expect it to get better soon and says St. Vincent De Paul is always in need of more food and supplies.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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