The government shutdown began on October 1, and it did not take long for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida to notice a spike in the requests for food assistance. It started with phone calls and private Facebook messages from families affected by the shutdown. Parents and grandparents were asking how and where to receive help putting food on the table.
One TSA worker explained that he had made his last paycheck stretch as far as it could, but like a majority of Central Floridians who live paycheck to paycheck, his family of four found themselves in need of food assistance for the first time.
While responding to these inquiries the food bank noticed a 300% spike in the number of searches for food assistance in Central Florida on its Food Finder. This simple tool allows our neighbors to locate emergency food pantries, meal programs and other food resources for their families with a simple click.
As the region’s emergency food supply, Second Harvest and its feeding partner network have responded to a variety of crises in the past, ranging from previous government shutdowns, to fires, floods, hurricanes and the pandemic. In addition to opening up additional appointments for partners to pick up food from the main Orlando distribution center and coordinating deliveries and mobile food distributions across the seven-county service area, the food bank worked directly with Orlando International Airport and other airport and military contacts to assess the needs of workers during the shutdown.
On October 28, Second Harvest distributed proteins, produce, milk and nonperishable canned goods to 350 federal workers including employee families in the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Throughout the day, food bank staff and volunteers helped carry boxes to workers’ vehicles offering gratitude and encouragement to the dedicated workers going without pay until the shutdown ends.
One worker sent a thank you note via email that read, “I would love to tell you folks thank you so much for all of the great food I received today. I work for the TSA and have not received a paycheck. It certainly helps feed myself and my grandkids that I babysit on my days off so that their mother can go to work.”
Thank you for supporting your neighbors during the government shutdown.
1 in 7 Central Floridians are facing hunger.
