Behind the hundreds of boxes and bags of food compiled by volunteers, cars line up all around the block. As 1 in 8 Central Floridians face hunger, the hundreds of families in these cars are among the unfortunate numbers affected by this haunting statistic.
“[With] loss of jobs, increase in rent, and increase in utilities, people are having to decide, Am I going to eat or keep the lights on?” explains Koko, CEO of Serenity’s Grace, a Second Harvest feeding partner.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and its 750 feeding partners work to fight the very prevalent issue of food insecurity and hunger through a variety of programs and distribution formats, such as mobile food distribution. A mobile food distribution brings a semi-truck full of food to rural communities and food deserts where access to a traditional supermarket is limited. These distribution events help households struggling with food insecurity, serving about 300 households at each event. These households can consist of one big family or even multiple families living together, as rent keeps increasing to unaffordable rates.
“We provide a hand up, not a handout,” states Koko. Being given the relief of not having to worry about putting food on the table for the week, families can focus their money on paying other expenses. Second Harvest and Serenity’s Grace work to not only feed families but also to assist them in increasing the nutritional value in their diets with the support of programs like The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). TEFAP provides 100% American-grown foods to low-income people through food banks at no cost. Foods available through the program are protein, whole grains, fresh produce, and essential nonperishable items.
“We see lots of smiles,” remarked one volunteer as she filled a bag with nonperishable canned goods.
The dedicated volunteer team ranges from veterans, students, grandparents, a police officer, and people like Arlene, who love to help their community.
As a retired teacher, Arlene remembers how many hungry students she had encountered during her career. She recalls a memory of a child who came to school in a sour, angry mood. Recognizing the root of the outburst as hunger, she brought him to the cafeteria and noted that he became “100% different after he ate.”
“[Kids] are hungry and don’t know how to express it,” explains Arlene.
With your support, Second Harvest and its feeding partners continue to combat hunger across Central Florida by providing meals and hope to families.
