Families facing tough choices

On any given day in Central Florida, one in seven adults – or one in five children – experience hunger.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is seeing an uptick in its online search tool. The Food Finder allows people to search for food assistance closest to a specific address or ZIP Code. More than 5,700 searches were performed in April, increasing 12% over March 2022. Search results generate a list of food pantries and distribution days, times, and other information for our neighbors facing hunger, like nearby bus stops.

WESH2 News recently visited a local food distribution in Daytona Beach. Watch the full story below.

Thanks to the support of a generous community, Second Harvest Food Bank and its feeding partners continue to distribute 250,000 meals a day. With rising inflation, rent, and grocery prices, local families face challenges in making ends meet.

“So many people are facing tough decisions about whether they can purchase their medicine or if they can buy something to eat.”
– Pastor Victor Miles, Mind of Christ Ministries

By providing access to nonperishable and fresh foods, like meat, produce, and dairy items, Second Harvest can relieve the financial stress placed on individuals and families in our community. People like Jessica.

Jessica is the mother of three kids, including a full-time college student. She drove through the food distribution to pick up food for her family. “Events like this are definitely important,” she says. “It helps a lot.”

While lines at food distributions were an all too familiar scene during the pandemic, the need for food assistance in Central Florida has not waned. With the end of the school year approaching, students will soon lose access to cafeteria meals. The immediate cost of providing breakfast and lunch at home will be too much for already-strained budgets. As a result, too many parents will skip meals and kids will eat empty calories that their growing bodies don’t need.

You can help kids and families have a worry-free, hunger-free summer. Every $10 donated to Second Harvest Food Bank can provide 40 meals to kids and families this summer.