It’s no surprise that rising food prices, increasing rent, and fluctuating gas prices are straining already tight household budgets. Record inflation is forcing local families to choose between food and rent, food and medicine, or food and gas to get to work.
“There are a lot of people in Central Florida who live right at that tipping point economically of being able to survive,” explains Greg Higgerson, Second Harvest’s Chief Development Officer, in a recent interview with Fox 35 Orlando.
Help and Hope When You Need It
Anything that increases costs, whether due to inflation or an emergency car repair, can lead individuals and families to turn to food banks, like Second Harvest, to make ends meet. Last month, 7,100 individuals used Second Harvest’s online Food Finder tool – a 97.9% increase from last year. The tool allows neighbors to search for a Second Harvest feeding partner nearby using their street address or ZIP Code. In addition to food assistance, www.feedhopenow.og/need includes information on the following topics:
- Free meals for kids this summer
- SNAP benefits assistance
- Community resources
- Workforce training
How You Can Help Your Neighbors
Second Harvest and its network of 500+ feeding partners continue to distribute enough food for 250,000 meals daily, nearly double pre-pandemic levels, thanks to the support of people like you. You can help your neighbors facing hunger by:
- Donating food or funds. Every $10 donated can provide 40 meals.
- Volunteering to sort food donations or prepare meals for kids.
- Hosting a virtual food drive
1 in 7 Central Floridians is facing hunger.
You can help.
