Florida has 3.1 million hungry individuals and each one has a unique background story. Oftentimes, we do not picture an average middle-class family or an elderly individual as prime examples of hunger, but food insecurity is felt by people of all ages and several socioeconomic standing. Hunger wears many faces. At Feeding Florida, we are focused on providing nutritious produce and food to every individual experiencing hunger, regardless of their circumstances. Here are a few stories of the unexpected faces of hunger in Florida.

September is Hunger Action Month, so we bring to attention the ways you can help fight hunger. For nearly 3.1 million Floridians, a daily meal isn’t a choice between cuisines. It’s a choice between crucial needs like medicine, electricity, or childcare. We at Feeding Florida believe hunger has a tangible solution, but it takes selfless people to help make a difference. How will you choose to help us in the fight to end hunger? Three steps to take right now: Learn, Commit and Speak Up.

Feeding Florida joined forces with the Florida Division of Emergency Management to provide water and food for those affected by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama. Thirteen loads of state-owned water (522,000 half-liter bottles of water) were delivered by Feeding Florida teams to neighboring states in need, in addition to over 17,000 state-owned emergency Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s).

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced a $4.9 million award to Feeding Florida, continuing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP) nutrition incentive program, Fresh Access Bucks (FAB). The award from the GusNIP COVID Relief and Response grants program (GusCRR) will extend by four more years the Fresh Access Bucks program’s work to help low-income communities improve the affordability and consumption of fruits and vegetables by vulnerable participants in communities in need.

With 21 percent of Florida children currently experiencing food insecurity, returning to school can be a daunting task. Kids who don’t get enough food to eat are more likely to repeat a grade, experience developmental impairments in areas like language and motor skills, and have more social and behavioral problems. This why several of our Feeding Florida network food banks offer resources, like in-school pantries and afterschool meal programs to ensure students are getting the nutrients they need.

Our Feeding Florida food banks are dedicated to providing access to healthy and nutritious food for the 906,470 children in Florida who experience food insecurity. When school lets out for summer break, many children are left without a consistent source of food, adding to the other struggles they face like development and health. Studies show kids who don’t get enough food to eat are more likely to repeat a grade, experience developmental impairments in areas like language and motor skills, and have more social and behavioral problems. Learn how our food banks are making a difference and how to access summer food.

Feeding Florida released an updated analysis of weekly and yearly missing meals across the state, showing a 17 percent increase since March of 2020. The statewide food bank network commissioned Mari Gallagher Research & Consulting Group (MG) to update her estimate of how many individuals are currently missing meals each week, largely due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. This latest release in 2021 highlights the long-lasting effect on Florida’s food insecure population, a year after the pandemic hit.

Florida Blue has been a longtime, supportive partner of Feeding Florida, helping to provide aid to Floridians across the state through multiple key programs and initiatives. The support of Florida Blue was crucial when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and left millions without access to nutritious food and produce. Florida Blue was able to feed 739,000 people and provide 14.5 million meals to those needing COVID relief They also works individually with several Feeding Florida food banks on programs that educate and address special areas of nutrition and how it all impacts health.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, millions of Floridians were left without access to nutritious and affordable food. With so many people left wondering where their next meal would come from, UnitedHealth Group stepped in to ensure that no Floridian would be left hungry during a time of unprecedented struggle.

Our Director of Produce Recovery, Sherri Atwell, has had the pleasure of traveling across the state with the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) getting first-hand experience with growers and learning how fresh produce goes from the farm to the food bank. As a member of the current FFVA Emerging Leaders Program, Sherri’s farm tours have taken her across county lines and to a couple dozen farms in places like Plant City, West Palm Beach and Palatka.