A $75,000 investment from the Poinsette Foundation will help Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida expand its School Partnerships Program, increasing access to nutritious food for students and families across Osceola County through the 2027-28 school year.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony at Chestnut Elementary School marked the opening of new school-based food markets, or pantries, at Chestnut, along with Sunrise Elementary School and Tohopekaliga High School. The Poinsette Foundation’s support also sustains the operations of Benny’s Bodega at Kissimmee Elementary School, which opened a year ago.
“Today is about opening doors. It's about opening hearts, and most importantly, it's about opening access to something every child deserves, food on their plate and peace of mind at home,” said Chestnut Elementary Principal Gary Bressler. “When a child isn't worried about being hungry, they can focus on being a kid. They can focus on learning. They can focus on dreaming. This pantry represents more than food. It represents stability. It represents dignity. It represents a community saying, ‘We've got you.”
The School Partnerships Program is a student-centered, stigma-reducing approach that meets families where they are by integrating food access into the school environment. During the 2024-25 school year, the initiative distributed enough food to provide 884,240 meals to students and families, helping to ensure that children have the nourishment they need to learn, grow and thrive.
“This investment from the Poinsette Foundation allows us to move beyond short-term relief and enhances food access within our schools,” said Briana Rebello, School Partnerships Program Manager, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. “By supporting students and families through the 2027 school year, we’re strengthening communities while helping kids succeed both in and out of the classroom.”
This multi-year commitment from the Poinsette Foundation reinforces Second Harvest’s ability to build sustainable, long-term solutions to childhood hunger while deepening partnerships with schools that serve some of the community’s most vulnerable students.
“Hunger should never stand in the way of a child’s education or well-being,” added Mia Poinsette, Executive Director of the Poinsette Foundation. “By collaborating with Second Harvest on its School Partnerships Program, we’re creating reliable food access that supports students’ academic success today while also improving outcomes for years to come.”
With one in six Central Florida children facing hunger, the School Partnerships Program aims to meet students and families where they are, with the nutritious food and snacks they need. One of those families is Diamond and her son, Julian.
“I’m one parent right now, and I don’t receive any government help,” explains Diamond, who isn’t able to work due to health challenges. “When my son brings me those bags, it is something I’m grateful for and it helps me feed my family.”
The School Partnerships Program currently operates in 90 locations across seven counties and serves students in elementary, middle, high and post-secondary schools.
1 in 6 kids in Central Florida faces hunger.
$10 provides 40 meals – and hope.
