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Tag: Food Insecurity and Hunger

  • Lakeland nonprofit helping seniors stay fed among increasing food insecurity

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Imagine having to make the tough decision to pay your bills or buy groceries. Advocates say that’s the harsh reality for many seniors who are navigating not having enough money for food.

    It’s leading some seniors to seek help from nonprofits like Volunteers in Service to the Elderly in Lakeland.

    What You Need To Know

    • Volunteers in Service to the Elderly, or VISTE, is a nonprofit organization that serves at-risk seniors in Lakeland

    • Its supplemental groceries program started over 20 years ago and has since continued to increase the number of people it serves

    • The nonprofit serves people 70 and older


    While most of us get in our cars to head to the grocery store, for seniors in Lakeland, their drive is to VISTE to pick up their monthly groceries free of charge.

    When one cart comes in, another one goes out — it’s a cycle that Welton Morris knows all too well.

    “Every month, once a month,” he said.

    He is one of more than 4,000 seniors who visit the nonprofit to pick up groceries.

    A line forms and volunteers pack each car with the month’s assortment of goods.

    Recently, Welton said he’s found himself relying on this service even more to stock his fridge.

    “The grocery store is so expensive when you go in the store, very expensive, and it’s hard, especially when you’re on a fixed income. It’s hard,” he said.

    Steve Bissonnette is the president of VISTE and said the number of seniors they serve is increasing.

    “We’re averaging about 130 clients each day during the week, almost a 30% increase just in the past few months,” he said.

    The nonprofit’s impact report from last year shows a 9.5% increase in clients. Its supplemental groceries program increased 6.2%, providing groceries to more than a thousand households.

    Bissonnette said that need has increased again in the last few months.

    “We can only attribute that to the environmental circumstances that people are uncertain about and fearful of, and we want to make sure that they at least get basic food to remain in their own home,” he said.

    Most of the food comes from Feeding Tampa Bay, the United States Department of Agriculture and items they purchase.

    Groceries that will go a long way for seniors, like Yoleida Cardona.

    “From an economic standpoint, my husband receives a small amount of money, and this helps us move forward,” she said. “There is also a lot of people in need, and there are those who live on their own that need this.”

    It’s a program that has become a lifeline for many seniors to keep their pantries stocked.

    The nonprofit also has a hot meal program for seniors who are unable to attend the grocery pick-up or cook for themselves.

    Those meals are provided twice a week with the help of Florida Southern College.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Tampa Bay Fashion Foundation helps families fill their shopping carts

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    TAMPA, Fla. — For a lot of families, being offered a shopping trip with Tampa Bay Fashion Foundation is music to their ears. But the shopping trip they’re taking isn’t what one would typically think of when it comes to filling up shopping bags. But for Mickesha Leggett, it’s right on time.

    “Being that we just went through a government shutdown, it’s a big relief off of some of us parents that’s going through a lot,” she said.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Tampa Bay Fashion Foundation assisted 250 families at the Silver Oaks Apartment complex

    • Families could choose groceries ahead of Thanksgiving, alleviating financial stress

    • The foundation’s efforts are part of an ongoing commitment to the community since last year’s hurricanes

    With the help of the foundation, Legget was able to pick out the items she wanted ahead of time so she could get items her family would eat. She already had her menu planned out.

    “Macaroni, yellow rice, chicken, string beans, cornbread and a chocolate cake,” she said.

    Leggett is one of about 250 families from the Silver Oaks Apartment complex that the Tampa Bay Fashion Foundation is helping this holiday season. It’s part of a commitment organizers here made to those living in the low-income housing complex a year ago.  

    “We’ve been working with Silver Oaks since last year in October after the hurricanes,” said Tampa Bay Fashion Foundation Managing Director, Madison Gergely. “When we went to the community, the members and individuals really touched our CEO and founder, Taneka Bowles. A lot of the residents came to her about how much it meant.” 

    With this food market, the Tampa Bay Fashion Foundation is using an approach they know well — shopping in person and filling up grocery bags with what they need.

    “It doesn’t feel like charity. It feels like I’m able to support my family and I’m able to go shopping and get things for my family and for my kids without it being handed to them,” said Gergely.

    It’s a shopping trip Leggett says she couldn’t be more thankful for.

    “They have been amazing. They are great. I mean from the day we started this program until now. I can call on them for any and everything,” she said.

    The S.O.U.L. Food Market shopping experience accepted community donations to help fill the shelves for these families the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

    The Tampa Bay Fashion Experience was founded by Taneka Bowles, wife of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach, Todd Bowles.

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    Saundra Weathers

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  • Pinellas Park provides free community meal with annual Giveback event

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    PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Thanksgiving is nearly here, and in celebration of the upcoming holiday, Pinellas Park is giving back through its 3rd annual Thanksgiving Giveback.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas Park hosted its third annual Thanksgiving Giveback

    • The event included a free community meal and to-go bags with supplies

    • Organizers say this year’s efforts take on a bit more meaning with the recent government shutdown


    Dozens met at the Broderick Community Center for a free community meal, but without volunteers like Newton Tren, the event could not be the success it is.

    “I support Pinellas Park (as a) city, so whatever they have … I come up to do it,” she said.

    Community center Project Manager Richard Rock said the idea for the giveback began three years ago.

    Growing each year, he’s thrilled the community can sit down and have a meal as a city.

    “Families can sit down, have a meal on us, and then at the end of it, we do a pay-it-forward event where we have food items that they can either take for themselves or pay it forward to somebody else,” he said.

    Rock said this year’s efforts take on a bit more meaning with the recent government shutdown.

    Despite the shutdown’s end ending, he said it’s put a lot more stress on families than in past years.

    That’s why he’s happy they provide a to-go bag with supplies people may need.

    With 150 bags available for everyone to take home for themselves or for someone in need, Rock said they’re supporting the community on all fronts.

    He added that some were expected to be left over and encourages anyone in need of extra supplies to stop by the community center.

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Florida families struggle post-shutdown as SNAP backlogs persist

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — The government shutdown may be over, but the aftershocks are still hitting millions of families who rely on SNAP benefits. Advocates say the delays and confusion won’t disappear overnight.

    What You Need To Know

    • SNAP delays from the shutdown left families choosing between groceries and basic bills

    • No Kid Hungry says 1 in 5 Florida children lack guaranteed meals

    • Heart of Florida United Way reported a 114% spike in 211 calls for food assistance

    • Advocates warn the surge in need may continue through the holiday season as SNAP backlogs clear


    Families are now untangling weeks of missed paychecks and backlogged SNAP benefits.

    “You know, you really saw families having to make really difficult choices,” said Sky Beard, Florida Director of No Kid Hungry. “Having to make tradeoffs about ‘am I going to pay the electric bill or am I going to make that run to the grocery store so that my children have access to food?’” 

    Beard says during the shutdown, the lapse in SNAP benefits, affected more than 40 million Americans, including 16 million children.

    She added that in Florida, one in five kids are living in homes where meals are not a guarantee. During this time, kids were hit hard, and are still feeling the ripple effects.

    “We saw over the last couple weeks how critically important SNAP is to addressing food and security across Florida, across the country. We’ve also seen really how fragile that food system is,” Beard said.

    Many nonprofits, including Heart of Florida United Way, say they’re seeing the aftermath firsthand. Calls to their 211 hotline spiked by 114% as families searched for help and answers.

    “Individuals were calling to try to find the nearest food bank, (asking) where they would be able to find a meal to put on the table for their family. Maybe even for that evening. That was a tremendous increase,” said Graciela Noriega-Jacoby, COO of Heart of Florida United Way.

    The shutdown, Noriega-Jacoby says, created far more than a gap in benefits, it created weeks of uncertainty for many families.

    “One of the things that we don’t see from the impacts of the federal shutdown is this fear, the anxiety, the stress that is put upon so many people who rely on basic needs — food, housing, even child care,” she said.

    Advocates say it could take weeks for SNAP benefits to fully catch up. The weight of playing catch-up is heightened, and the surge in need may last well into the holiday season.

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    Ashley Engle

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  • USDA secretary: SNAP recipients set to receive food payments by Monday at latest

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — As states across the country scramble to issue the full SNAP benefits that nearly 42 million nationwide and 2.9 million in the Sunshine State depend upon, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins said Thursday that most recipients will receive their payments by Monday at the latest.

    Although the restoration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) after the 43-day government shutdown will provide relief, many people are still likely to experience food insecurity afterward, according to a local nonprofit leader.

    What You Need To Know

    • SNAP recipients can expect to receive full benefits again by Monday, according to the U.S. Agriculture secretary

    • But for many, the fear of not knowing where they will get their next meal remains

    • One widowed, single mother who is dependent on SNAP says she struggled to keep food on the table for her and her 14-year-old son during the government shutdown

    • Meanwhile, the leader of one local nonprofit says that food insecurity and demand have not been so high since the COVID-19 pandemic


    Single widowed mother Jen Hall, who is a SNAP recipient, described the past month as “challenging” as she struggled to put food on the table for her and her 14-year-old son.

    Even before the government shutdown, however, Hall says her SNAP benefits were shrinking. In order to be deemed eligible for SNAP, she has to recertify every six months. But the last time she recertified prior to the shutdown, her monthly allowance dropped from around $160 to just $24 a month.

    “It was a challenge to not know when things are coming,” Hall says. “We’ve got the holidays coming up. There’s lots of things coming up, but also, every day people need to eat.”

    Hall is permanently disabled and still grieving the loss of her husband, who passed away last year because of health complications following a workplace incident in 2022.

    She says that her husband’s lack of adequate healthcare contributed to his death, which is why she firmly believes that food and healthcare are two basic human rights to which everybody should have access.

    “When we’re looking at the government shutdown, it’s important to frame that as the choice was people dying from lack of healthcare or people going hungry, and both of those are lose-lose situations, and I happen to be one of those people who sits on both sides of those,” Hall says. “My husband died from lack of adequate healthcare. I would die if I lost health insurance, and I have no idea how I am going to continue to feed my son and I.”

    Hall was in a car accident that left her permanently disabled years ago. Today, she relies on Medicare and Medicaid to get care. She says she has not been able to find a job because of the nature of her medical conditions.

    “The other concern is that if I do attempt employment, there’s a good chance I will lose my health insurance, and without my health insurance, I will die,” she says.

    During the shutdown, Hall sought help from the Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka, which provides an emergency food pantry to community members in need, including SNAP recipients like her.

    Central Florida nonprofits like the Hope CommUnity Center are still short on food donations, leaders say.

    “Food insecurity is even larger than what it was during the (COVID-19) pandemic,” Hope CommUnity Center Executive Director Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet says.

    The increase in demand was exacerbated by recent federal cuts that forced them to be entirely dependent on donations from local churches and other nonprofits, he says.

    The most demand Sousa-Lazaballet has seen comes from Social Security recipients and single mothers like Hall, he says.

    “The majority of the people that we’re supporting are actually U.S. citizens who are in incredible need, and it is incredibly sad that in the richest country in the world, people are going hungry right now,” he says.

    Sousa-Lazaballet is encouraging people to donate to local food drives or to nonprofits within their communities to help nonprofits fill the food insecurity gaps.

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    Sasha Teman

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  • Places around Tampa Bay offering free groceries, meals to residents in need

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    TAMPA, Fla. — As uncertainty with the government shutdown continues, food pantries, restaurants and county services have been helping residents in need with food assistance in Tampa Bay.

    Here’s a list of places residents can go to get fresh food and a hot meal.

    Hillsborough County

    Some Hillsborough County’s Health Care Services will host three events this month where residents can receive free groceries. 

    The food packages, provided in partnership with Feeding Tampa Bay, generally include fresh fruit and vegetables, meats and other staples. There are no income restrictions to receive the food. The County’s Healthy Living Program and Feeding Tampa Bay typically hold 16 food pantry events throughout the year: Once a month for 10 months, with an additional three food pantries in November before Thanksgiving and another three in December. 

    Hillsborough County residents can pick up free groceries at the following times and places in November: 

    For more information on the food giveaways, call Hillsborough County Health Care Services at (813)-272-5040, Option 7.  

    Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa will allow kids to eat free all day Thursdays through Sundays until SNAP benefits are restored. The offer is for dining in only, and no takeout options are available.
     

    Pinellas County

    Pia’s Trattoria in St. Petersburg is offering a “Government Shutdown To Go” special starting Nov. 1, for all families who need it. It’s a free meal featuring pasta pomodori, bread and salad. Pickup is available from Wednesday – Sunday, 5 – 6 p.m. Go to the hostess stand at the veranda between and order the “Government Shutdown To Go” special. 

    Gigglewaters in Safety Harbor is providing free lunches for kids who need them. Starting Nov. 1, stop in and ask for a “GiggleBag,” which is a bagged to-go lunch for children who are hungry. One for every child with you every day, no purchase necessary until SNAP benefits are reinstated in Florida.

    Jack Willie’s Bar, Grill & Tiki in Oldsmar will provide free kids’ meals for as long as the shutdown is going.
     

    Polk County

    United Way of Central Florida has a full list of food drop sites in cities such as Lakeland, Winter Haven, Haines City, Lake Wales and more. 
     

    Pasco County

    Pasco County Continuum of Care has a full list of food pantries in cities such as Land O’Lakes, New Port Richey and Zephyrhills. 
     

    Hernando County

    Manatee County

    Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee will be hosting a Thanksgiving meal giveaway on Nov. 24 and a holiday meal giveaway on Dec. 22.

    Citrus County

    Crackers Bar and Grill in Crystal River will provide free kids meal specials — either grilled cheese or chicken fingers with applesauce to go — for children in need. 

    Other Resources:

    GoPuff is offering $50 in free groceries for SNAP customers who add their EBT card number in the app, with the company committing up to $10 million total. EBT customers can also get a $25 credit and free delivery with promo codes SNAPRELIEF1 (use Nov. 1-15) and SNAPRELIEF2 (if the shutdown continues Nov. 16-30). 

    Last week, Instacart started offering active SNAP customers 50% off their next grocery order, up to a $50 discount. All eligible customers who used EBT SNAP benefits to get groceries delivered via Instacart in October also received an individual discount code, committing up to $5 million in direct relief for SNAP households. Instacart also offers discounted memberships for SNAP recipients and no delivery fees on orders over $35.

    DoorDash also announced it would waive service and delivery fees for an estimated 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients in November. The company also promised to deliver 1 million meals from food banks for free. More than 2.4 million DoorDash customers have a SNAP/EBT card linked to their account, according to the company.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • 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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  • The Food Bank of Manatee hosts emergency drive-thru

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    BRADENTON, Fla. — As many families are without SNAP benefits for the month of November, local organizations are stepping up to make sure no one goes hungry.

    On Tuesday, Republican State Rep. Vern Buchanan toured some of those community efforts firsthand, seeing how they are filling in the gap for families in need.

    It began with an emergency drive-thru at Dream Church in Bradenton.

    What You Need To Know

    • Many Manatee County families are without SNAP benefits for November

    • The Food Bank of Manatee hosted an emergency drive-thru at Dream Church

    • State Rep. Vern Buchanan is supporting these efforts with a $10,000 donation

    • BELOW: View pantries and soup kitchens

    Carolann Drawdy arrived two hours before the food giveaway — but she says it was worth the wait.

    “It’s been rough, but we are getting by,” she said.

    She’s been receiving SNAP benefits for about four years. Between her and her cousin, they receive almost $300 a month.

    “It’s a little difficult. I also take care of an autistic cousin, and he also gets food stamps. So I’m not able to get his breakfast, lunch, or dinners at this moment. We’re just trying to get whatever we can right now to help,” Drawdy said.

    She waited in line to receive groceries that will cover 25 meals. She says her food supply at home is running low.

    “It’s just hard to get by — having to scrape by for extra food when you don’t even have money sometimes to pay your rent or your water,” Drawdy said.

    Carolann Drawdy in her vehicle as she picks up food from Dream Church. (Spectrum News)

    According to The Food Bank of Manatee, local food pantries in Manatee County have reported an increase of up to 40% in requests for help.

    Volunteers with the food bank say they are doing their part to help.

    “SNAP benefits need to be approved. The money needs to be released. Not sure when that’s going to happen, and it is just critical that we help our community,” volunteer Liz Kappel said.

    Buchanan toured the Food Bank of Manatee today and says he is donating $10,000 to the organization.

    “If you can imagine, one in eight Americans count on their SNAP benefits. That needs to get resolved now,” Buchanan said.

    While Drawdy is uncertain where some of her next meals will come from, she says she’s still remaining positive.

    “I thank my Heavenly Father every day for being here,” she said.

    Drawdy tells me she plans on attending more of these events in the future until her SNAP benefits are fully reinstated.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Growing Food Insecurity Prompts Communities to Step Up

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    BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio — As federal SNAP benefits remain on hold, food pantries across Ohio are struggling to meet rising demand, prompting residents and volunteers in Logan County to hold a community food drive to help families who have lost access to food assistance.

    What You Need To Know

    • With SNAP benefits on hold, food pantries across Ohio are struggling to meet growing needs
    • Community members are stepping up to collect food and support families facing food insecurity
    • Local pantries said meal-ready items are in short supply as more families seek help

    Dustin Ragland, who organized the Logan County Food Drive, said the effort aimed to fill the gap left by shrinking benefits and limited resources.

    Ragland once relied on SNAP himself 20 years ago as a single father and said he understands how quickly families can fall into food insecurity.

    “We all need help,” Ragland said. “I think it’s the job of the community to come together and fill that gap, no matter what the circumstances are.”

    He said the event was designed to ensure families don’t go hungry when government systems fail to provide adequate support.

    “Our leaders may not be able to work together, but our community still can,” he said.

    The donations collected during the drive will be divided equally among the food pantries that participated, helping distribute resources across Logan County.

    Bobbi Allen, pastor of Buckeye Gospel Barn, said her pantry serves more than 400 families each month. She said calls for help began increasing as soon as SNAP benefits were paused.

    “It’s going to be hard,” Allen said. “Because already, before I even arrived here, I’ve got people calling, saying, ‘Hey, can we come over and get some food?’”

    Allen said even simple, kid-friendly foods such as canned spaghetti are getting harder to keep on the shelves. She said pantries especially need items that can serve as complete meals and don’t require extra ingredients.

    Allen said she’s already noticed a sense of panic among SNAP recipients as parents worry about how they’ll feed their children in the coming days, with many running low on groceries and unsure how they’ll make it through next week.

    Despite the growing strain, Allen said the community’s response gives her hope.

    “Just reach out to each other, be kind to each other and help each other,” she said. “Because if we all start binding together, we can do it.”

    Ragland said he plans to continue organizing community efforts through the holidays.

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    Saima Khan

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  • Is St. Pete closer to eliminating their food desert?

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A community grocery store could be steps closer to being a reality in South St. Pete. A group of organizers met with city leaders on Thursday to discuss a possible solution to the food desert in the area.

    Based on reactions from city leaders, there’s a strong possibility something like this could happen, but this is still in the infancy stages.

    What You Need To Know

    • A group of organizers met with St. Petersburg city leaders on Thursday to discuss a possible solution to the food desert in the area
    • One Community Co-op founding member Brother John Muhammad said idea of having a community-centered grocery store was born after the area’s only grocery store closed in Tangerine Plaza eight years ago and never returned

    • City leaders seem to be strongly considering this option, but there are several questions that remain, like location, funding and sustainability

    • One of the council members said she spoke with the developers of Tangerine Plaza, and they have secured a grocer. There are still a lot of steps for that process, but it’s something that could nix the conversation completely


    The option up for discussion at the Health, Energy, Resiliency and Sustainability Committee meeting Thursday was the co-op proposal.

    “A co-op is a business model where you have community residents who are the owners and operators. It’s basically just people who collectively work together to create a business,” said One Community Co-op founding member Brother John Muhammad. “The member owners would be the ones who determine what the products are in there. So, as a co-operative grocery store, are we going to sell processed food? Are we selling alcohol? So, you have more control over the products, the pricing and the investments being made.”

    Muhammad said this idea of having a community-centered grocery store was born after the area’s only grocery store closed in Tangerine Plaza eight years ago, and never returned. It left behind a food desert with no healthy food for miles.

    “We saw Sweetbay come and we saw them leave,” Muhammad said. “We saw Walmart come, we saw them leave, and it was like, ‘Okay, how do we address this? Do we wait on another Superman to come in, or another superhero, or do we organize our community?’”

    City leaders seem to be strongly considering this option, but there are several questions that remain, like location, funding and sustainability.

    The now-vacant Historic Manhattan Casino, slated to be an event space, was mentioned as a possibility, and so was Tangerine Plaza. Earlier this year, the city awarded the Sugar Hill Group to redevelop Tangerine Plaza.

    “Right now, Sugar Hill, they have the development rights for Tangerine Plaza and so Tangerine Plaza has always been the focal point for this conversation, because a lot of these conversations started happening when Walmart, who was a tenant, left,” Muhammad said.

    Since they’ve been gone, Muhammad said their co-op group has stepped up with pop-up grocery shops and so have others like Positive Impact St. Pete.

    “We meet the need in South St. Pete. The need is extremely great. Every single Saturday, our organization provides food for nearly 3,000 individuals,” said Positive Impact St. Pete Executive Director Karen Rae.

    Rae said she likes some of the ideas the co-op presented, but after eight years of watching a community in need, she’s hoping for a faster solution.

    “I’m proposing that we work together to meet the need today. That we don’t wait on government assistance, but the individuals who have a heart for the hungry, step up and partner with positive impact where we can open a neighborhood market tomorrow,” she said.

    There’s no real timeline of funding for Rae’s proposal-and the co-op plan is still up in the air too.

    In the meeting, one of the council members said she spoke with the developers of Tangerine Plaza, and they have secured a grocer. There are still a lot of steps for that process, but it’s something that could nix the conversation completely.

    After eight years of waiting, the people invested in the community said they want to keep all options on the table until the healthy food need is met.

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    Saundra Weathers

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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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  • Pasco nonprofit partners with church for LGBTQ+ friendly food pantry

    Pasco nonprofit partners with church for LGBTQ+ friendly food pantry

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    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Saturday morning New Life Community Gospel Church welcomed residents to the first LGBTQ+ friendly food pantry in the area.

    It’s a partnership with Messengers of Hope Mission, a nonprofit that provides food in their mobile unit to residents across Pasco County.

    What You Need To Know

    • Messengers of Hope Mission is a nonprofit organization that helps feed the hungry in Pasco County with their mobile food pantry

    • The nonprofit partnered with New Life Community Gospel Church for an LGBTQ+ food pantry

    • Church leaders want to create a space where residents feel safe and loved to get food they need

    • The initiative will take place every second Saturday of the month


    For the church’s Associate Pastor Randy Meadows, it is a chance to connect with residents in his community.

    “We have a lot of LGBTQ people that don’t feel safe to come to certain areas for whatever reason so we just wanted to make sure that they knew that they had a place to come that we could give them the food that they needed,” he said.

    It’s that reassurance of safety and support why Stephanie Stuart went to the pantry Saturday.

    “I do visit other pantries and they’re very sweet people at the church, but it’s always in the back of my mind I wonder if they’d be that sweet if they knew the whole truth,” she said.

    Having support from church leaders is a sense of relief for Stuart, who has struggled to make ends meet being an entertainer in the area.

    Leaving with a cart full of food but also love, she is grateful for the variety the pantry provides.

    “I got girl scout cookies, thin mint, but yea, this is going to help me for probably the next two weeks,” said Stuart.

    For Meadows, seeing the smiles in his community is how he knows they’re making a difference.

    “Jesus said to John, feed my sheep and that’s what we’re trying to do is feed the sheep for the lord and whoever goes through this parking lot I want to love on them,” he said.

    This pantry will be held every second Saturday of the month.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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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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  • One million students will soon get access to food assistance

    One million students will soon get access to food assistance

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    WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — For the first time, more than one million North Carolina students will be eligible for extra food assistance this summer. The state is taking part in a new USDA program known as SUN Bucks to help prevent child hunger while school is out until the fall.

    What You Need To Know

    • A new USDA program, SUN Bucks, helps prevent child hunger while school is out

    • SUN Bucks is a one-time $120 benefit that will be issued Friday, June 14

    • For eligible students, SUN Bucks will loaded onto current EBT cards and all others will get a SUN Bucks card in the mail
    • Any store that accepts EBT cards will take these SUN Bucks benefits as well

    Nearly 60% of public school students across the state qualify for free and reduced-price meals at school. This SUN Bucks program is meant to help those students, as well as others who may be eligible.

    “900,000 students in North Carolina depend upon meals at school during the school year for their primary source of nutrition,” Dr. Lynn Harvey, the NC DPI School Nutrition Services Director, said.

    Harvey adds that a well-balanced meal is something some kids only experience while they’re at school.

    “In fact, for many students, it’s the best, most nutritious meal they’re going to have. And for others, it may be the only meals they have,” Harvey said.

    Harvey says the impact food can have on growing bodies and minds has been proven time and time again.

    “Children can’t learn when they’re hungry. They’re limited in their capacity to pay attention in the classroom fully. When we make sure they’re well nourished, when they’re well-fed, they can concentrate, they can focus on the task at hand. They can achieve their best,” Harvey said.

    While these meals are consistent during the school year, there’s a gap the state is hoping to fill.

    “So what happens when school’s out for the summer months? Those meals are not there,” Harvey said.

    This year, for the first time, more than one million North Carolina students will be eligible for extra food assistance over the summer, a one-time $120 benefit known as SUN Bucks.

    “The SUN Bucks program will provide cash assistance to children and, of course, to their households that will enable them to purchase groceries throughout the summer months,” Harvey said.

    Those who already receive no-cost or reduced-cost meals at school, take part in Food and Nutrition Services, receive Medicaid with income below 185% of the federal poverty level or are in foster care, automatically qualify for the program.

    The program is just one way to make sure students aren’t forgotten about and are ready to learn when they come back to school in the fall.

    “We hope to close that summer gap so that children won’t be hungry during the summer months, as many have been in years past,” Harvey said.

    SUN Bucks benefits will be distributed starting Friday, June 14.

    Families and kids who currently receive food and nutrition services like food stamps will see their SUN Bucks loaded onto their current EBT cards. All others will get a SUN Bucks card in the mail. Any store that accepts EBT cards will take these SUN Bucks benefits as well.

    North Carolina is one of only three states in the Food and Nutrition Services Southeast Region to take advantage of this new USDA program.

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    Kyleigh Panetta

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