Meals and Hope for Hard Times

Anybody can fall on hard times. For neighbors living paycheck to paycheck, a cut in hours or a lost job can quickly turn everyday choices into painful tradeoffs. Grocery shopping becomes less about preferences and more about survival. Neighbors have to weigh decisions like what they can afford, what has to wait so rent, insurance, and medical bills still get paid.

Nourishing Students at School and Home

“The student told me ‘We only got a can of beans. I don’t know what I’m gonna have for dinner tonight,’” he recalled.

That was the moment Deacon Pete knew the team had to find a way to feed any student at school and at home. The Catholic learning community educates young people of limited economic means through a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, integrated with relevant work study experience, so students graduate ready to lead lives of faith, purpose and service.

Making Ends Meet for Seminole County Families

“It’s always been in me to help people,” says Eddy, the backbone of East Coast Dream Center in Seminole County. He and his wife, Shye, operate a food pantry supported by Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. The Dream Center aims to support families by providing access to nutritious food in a respectful, empowering environment.

School Markets Help Families with Food and Stability

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s School Partnership Program supports in-school markets at more than 70 schools. At Campbell Middle School in Daytona Beach, students help distribute take-home bags filled with food for the whole family.