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.

The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) has been a voice in the agriculture industry for nearly eight decades. A key partner for the Feeding Florida network, FFVA helps promote our state’s farmers and the importance of buying local produce. We spoke to FFVA’s Director of Communications, Christina Morton, to learn more about produce recovery and how they move produce from farm to food bank.

<p>Feeding Florida commissioned Mari Gallagher Research & Consulting Group (MG) – a firm with expertise in hunger, the economy, and statistical models – to conduct a COVID-19 employment disruption analysis at small geographic units across Florida as a pathway to understand and address the additional need for charitable feeding during this crisis. The analysis estimates […]

Feeding Florida commissioned Mari Gallagher Research & Consulting Group (MG) – a firm with expertise in hunger, the economy, and statistical models – to conduct a COVID-19 employment disruption analysis at small geographic units across Florida as a pathway to understand and address the additional need for charitable feeding during this crisis.

Feeding Florida has received a $400,000 donation from the Florida Farm Bureau Insurance Companies (Florida Farm Bureau) to assist with getting Florida-grown fruits and vegetables to those affected by COVID-19. The donation will also support Florida farmers, who are struggling due to a decreased demand for their products as the hospitality and restaurant industry has primarily come to a halt statewide. Distribution will occur through Feeding Florida’s existing statewide network of 12- member food banks through the Farmers Feeding Florida program.

As a longtime and committed partner of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, Feeding Florida’s network of food banks is working closely with Florida growers to deploy the necessary resources to recover and move food and supplies quickly and efficiently throughout the state to families in need.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (November 4, 2019) – Slice by slice throughout September, TooJay’s Deli raised $16,000 from cake sales and guests who generously “rounded up” their checks in support of Feeding Florida.   Feeding Florida is a statewide network of Feeding America food banks which provides a healthy, adequate and consistent food supply to […]

[Tallahassee, Fla.] – When Hurricane Dorian was approaching the east coast of the United States as a Category 5, Florida residents braced themselves for what could have been the most powerful storm in over 30 years. As the only statewide hunger relief organization with an active presence in all of Florida, the Feeding Florida network […]

Throughout this month at TooJay’s, a dollar from every slice of cake sold benefits Feeding Florida. That’s the case not only at the TooJay’s in Palm Beach in Royal Poinciana Plaza, but at all of the 20-plus TooJay’s locations in Florida. TooJay’s first launched a partnership with Feeding Florida in September 2017 and since then, […]