This Thanksgiving, Feeding Florida, the state’s network of nine food banks serving all 67 counties, pauses to express heartfelt gratitude for the donors, partners, and communities who made this year’s hurricane relief efforts possible. In a season marked by multiple storms – Debby, Helene, and Milton – the Feeding Florida network rose to the challenge, delivering hope, fuel, and connection to families in need.
1 in 5 Florida children are food insecure. Our food banks are not just fighting hunger, they are finding solutions so children and their families are able to access healthy, nutritious food when they need to. Through enhanced School Pantries, we can provide resources where children and their families frequent every day. We can take the stigma out of food pantries and give support to young families who need it most.
While Florida was hit hard by Hurricane Helene on Sept. 26, state leaders in both emergency management and food resources are reaching out to help other states that are suffering from the impacts of the monster storm. Feeding Florida, a network of food banks throughout the Sunshine State, along with the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) have mobilized to begin delivering food, water and other supplies to nearby states.
The Feeding Florida network of food banks is prepared to provide statewide relief to Floridians impacted by Hurricane Helene. In partnership with the Division of Emergency Management’s ESF-6 mass feeding team, Feeding Florida and its 9-member food banks have proven they can quickly mobilize to ensure affected communities are provided for.
Feeding Florida set out on a mission to expand our program to include Florida proteins, understanding Florida’s cattle ranchers have the resources and knowledge to make a difference for the 2.3 million Floridians facing hunger.
In celebration of our work during Hunger Action Month, we want to highlight the various programs we have in place to address hunger and build stronger, healthier communities. From mobile food pantries to nutrition education, these initiatives are designed to provide immediate relief, long-term solutions, and a sustainable future for Floridians.
In the wake of Hurricane Debby’s sideswipe of Leon County this week, the Harry Chapin Food Bank in southwest Florida has stepped up to assist locally with disaster relief efforts. The Food Bank, the largest hunger relief organization in its area, is partners with Second Harvest of the Big Bend. It responded to a call from the Feeding Florida Network by sending driver Jose Soto-Cruz to the capital.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced a historic partnership between the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Feeding Florida to increase the amount of fresh, protein-rich, Florida products provided to food banks across the state. The partnership increases funding available to Florida food banks — for the first time ever — to source surplus Florida-grown beef, eggs, and dairy products, which have historically been the most challenging and expensive commodities for food banks to source.
In the battle against food insecurity, the Feeding Florida food bank staff working in food procurement play a critical role. From handling perishable items to forging partnerships with local businesses and farmers, every aspect of the food banks’ procurement process is vital in ensuring that communities have access to nutritious food. In this blog post, we’ll hear from some of our food bank procurement teams as they share their perspectives on food sourcing.
The focus on food safety is one of the key things that makes Feeding America food banks unique- and why it’s ingrained into the very fiber of how our food banks operate. With a firm commitment to maintaining the highest standards of food safety, our food banks follow stringent requirements, thorough training, and ongoing support for our food bank teams and partners.
