During May, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by sharing stories of collaboration and hope from our community.
Hunger-fighting individuals help support neighbors facing hunger in unique and impactful ways. For instance, Ricky supports fundraising events, Hannah facilitates weekly food distributions, William coordinates with feeding partners and Kim and Allie volunteer. Every action they take, big or small, helps kids, families, and seniors access the food they need to thrive.
Ricky
Ricky fights hunger through fundraising events.
Ricky’s food bank journey began as a volunteer. He gradually found himself drawn deeper into the cause through events. Today, he serves on the food bank’s Board of Directors.
Ricky’s upbringing inspired him to start giving back to his community.
“It was an honor and privilege giving back,” Ricky says. “Especially remembering my own parent’s struggles as Vietnamese refugees and first-generation immigrants who had to rely on SNAP from time to time to make ends meet, despite working full time two, sometimes three jobs.”
Ricky gives his time to support Taste! Central Florida, the region’s premier food and beverage tasting event that raises funds for childhood hunger programs. Each year, Taste! helps provide more than 244,000 meals.
“I am grateful to be a part of the great work that Second Harvest and its allies do each day to help alleviate hunger in our community,” Ricky says. “To me, food is love — and in a world where often there seems to not be enough of it, the work at Second Harvest is love in action.”
Hannah
Hannah fights hunger at a weekly food giveaway.
Hannah helps facilitate a weekly food distribution at Good News Orlando Church Inc. Hannah picks up pantry staples, lean meats and fresh produce from Second Harvest each week to distribute to over 200 individuals. The impact of this consistent support is significant, ensuring that neighbors have access to nutritious food.
“I was thrilled at the opportunity to be part of hunger relief, having experienced firsthand how much access to a food pantry can help those struggling to feed their families,” Hannah says.
Hannah feels the community’s gratitude at each food giveaway.
“I feel blessed when people greet me warmly and express gratitude for the food they receive from our pantry,” Hannah says. “Their smiles and thankfulness are the greatest reward.”
William
William fights hunger by supporting Second Harvest’s feeding partners.
As an Agency Relations Coordinator, William plays a crucial role in supporting feeding partners who distribute food directly to neighbors facing hunger. In this role, he maintains relationships with these partners, coordinating food pickups, mobile drop deliveries and ensuring the distribution process runs smoothly and safely.
“Working with our agency relations team, I have the great privilege to see the hidden angels fighting to make sure our community gets fed — our partner agencies,” William says. He is inspired by the organizations and individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes, often without recognition. “Every day, these partners help distribute food to thousands of neighbors facing hunger as the world goes about their daily routine.”
Second Harvest works with over 750 feeding partners across seven Central Florida counties. Their dedication to fighting hunger inspires William each day.
“They are of every walk of life: every age, every faith, every affiliation – most of them volunteers,” he says. “They are people who have the courage to believe they can make a difference. Knowing these hunger heroes is rewarding in itself.”
William journey in the fight against hunger began when he was young. As a kid, he collected food for his church’s food drive, an experience that opened his eyes to the issue of hunger and the power of collective action. This early involvement laid the foundation for his continued commitment to hunger relief and the power of individual contributions to create positive change.
“Hunger is not just about food. Whether you volunteer time at a food pantry, raise your voice for policy change, or support a neighbor going through a rough patch, you are part of the fabric that helps ensure no one in our community falls through the cracks. We can end hunger together and together includes you,” William says.
Kim and Allie
Kim and Allie fight hunger by volunteering at Second Harvest’s warehouse.
“The most rewarding feeling about being involved in hunger relief is knowing that even the smallest action makes the biggest impact,” Allie says.
Mother and daughter Kim and Allie moved to Central Florida in 2019 from New Jersey, where they were dedicated food bank volunteers. Their decision to continue this tradition in their new home helped them adjust and connect to their new community.
“When we found Second Harvest, we just knew that there was something special about it,” Allie says. “Not only did it make us feel good to know we were helping others, but the people we met when we started volunteering there made us feel so welcomed.”
Kim and Allie encourage others to get involved. They know that no action is too small to make a difference.
“Hunger relief is incredibly important and knowing that you are the difference between a family having food for a week and a child having lunch after school is one of the most humbling feelings we’ve ever experienced,” Allie says. “Everyone has the tools to make a difference, and Second Harvest showed us how we could use ours to help those right next door.”
