Getting new school supplies, shopping for shoes, and meeting teachers are all part of back-to-school preparations. Making sure students have healthy food is just as important for their learning.
In the weeks before school started, the School Partnerships Program from Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida joined five back-to-school expos at partner schools.
Team members gave students and parents fresh fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods to help them start the school year off with nutritious food. They also shared information about what the School Partnerships Program offers at their schools.
“We are excited to welcome the 2026–27 school year and wish all of our partner schools, dedicated program coordinators, and the students and families in our community a wonderful year ahead!” said Briana Rebello, Director of School and Community Partnerships.
School Partnerships staff members attended events at Tangelo Park, Washington Shores, Rock Lake and Rosemont elementary schools in the Orlando area, as well as College Park Elementary School in Marion County.
During the Back-to-School Extravaganza at Tangelo Elementary, parents and kids filled bags with avocados, carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, apples, and more.
Second-grader Aandre was happy to find apples when he and his mom, Taylor, stopped by the Second Harvest table.
Aandre filled up a new backpack with school supplies from other organizations’ tables, and his family took home some apples, mangoes and avocados from Second Harvest.
“I got mangoes for my 14-year-old. She loves mangoes,” Taylor said. “And a few avocados. We might try to make some guacamole.”
While at the event, she learned about the School Partnerships Program and found out that Tangelo is one of 90 partner sites in Central Florida. The school has a School Market, where students can take home free nonperishable food and snacks, and a Fresh Market, where every student gets a free bag of fresh produce each month.
“That’s helpful with the price of groceries,” Taylor said.
Assistant Principal Karen Brown, who manages the School Market, said the back-to-school event is about building relationships.
“We want our families to know this is a space that you can come if you need help, and then we will point you in the right direction,” she said. “This will get families in the mindset of coming back to school and the resources that we’re able to provide as a school.”
Besides Second Harvest and school supplies, other organizations at the Tangelo event provided free physicals, financial literacy resources, after-school care information, and more.
Karen said the school shows its support of families throughout the year, and the partnership with Second Harvest is instrumental in that effort.
“It helps tremendously,” she said. “Last year, our school pantry almost ran out because our families really, really needed help when some of their assistance was cut off, or some people were laid off. At first, they were a little bit apprehensive, but we said, ‘It’s free. Come get what you need,’ and they saw the sincerity behind it.”
From August 2025 through July 2026, the School Partnerships Program distributed nearly 1.14 million pounds of food, equivalent to about 950,000 meals, for 414,613 students and their families.
This was a 5% increase in the number of meals served year over year and a 15% increase in the number of students and families served.
With the help of a caring and committed community, Second Harvest plans to add at least 10 new sites during the new school year.
