In just a few short weeks, students will head home for an extended holiday from school. They will leave behind the worries of homework and exams. They will also leave behind their school-provided breakfast and lunch, making the need for food even more urgent during the holiday season.
Your support of emergency food pantries, school markets, and mobile food distributions helps ease families’ stress and anxiety. This year, inflation, higher gas prices, and unexpected storm damages are weighing heavy on their minds and budgets.
“I worry and dread the holiday break because of how tight our budget is,” said Paula, a single mother from Apopka.
Paula recently received groceries at a drive-thru food distribution at her kids’ school. A student volunteer helped her load a turkey, fresh produce, and a box of nonperishable foods into her car. With each bag of food, Paula’s outlook began to improve. She left with a lot less stress and a smile on her face.
“This is a tremendous blessing, especially this year when everything has been so hard,” said Paula. “It’s been one thing after another, and I just can’t thank you enough.”