We cannot allow this Veterans Day to pass, however, without recognizing the food insecurity that many veterans and active military are facing in our country today. Of the 40 million people the Feeding America network serves, 20% of those households include veterans or active military personnel. This is unacceptable under any circumstance but even more tragic when you consider the sacrifices these veterans and active-duty military have made on our behalf.

Florida’s governor just signed a proclamation highlighting the importance of farmers, food assistance organizations, and families working together to fight hunger across the state, in honor of Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month. We thank the governor for recognizing this critically important cause. Because Florida cannot afford the cost of hunger. It includes financial loss, economic stress and drain on our healthcare system. Especially challenging, however, is the human toll it takes. Hunger makes the things we take for granted impossible. Focusing in school. Holding down a job. Pursuing higher education. Being active. Staying healthy.

Currently, 6.7% of Florida’s senior population are food insecure, which is why seven of our Feeding Florida food banks offer senior feeding programs. Harry Chapin Food Bank established the Care & Share Senior Feeding Program, an application-only program that aims to supplement the diets of a caseload of low-incomes seniors with food that meets their nutritional needs in Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties.

We are proud to announce that Governor DeSantis has signed our proclamation declaring September as Hunger Action Month in Florida, showing appreciation to Florida’s farmers who help us provide for children, seniors, and hardworking families. We are grateful to the Governor for recognizing this critically important cause. Our 12 Feeding Florida food banks, all members of Feeding America, remain committed to our unified mission to end hunger in Florida.

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.