The leading domestic hunger-relief organization in South Florida, Feeding South Florida, is currently facing a significant increase in the number of families seeking assistance more frequently due to inflation, rising food and housing costs, supply chain issues, and more. The nonprofit’s partner agency network finds it challenging to cope with the demand and is forced to place families on waiting lists.
Previously, they could supply nine meals when $1 was donated to Feeding South Florida. Unfortunately, with the same amount of funding now, they can only provide four meals. Moreover, summer in South Florida is traditionally slower for farmers and workers who head north for the season, limiting resources. South Florida families also face a tough situation as children lose access to free or reduced-price school meals when school is out of session. Over 300,000 kids in South Florida rely on these meals during the school year. To help bridge the gap, Feeding South Florida is sponsoring the USDA Summer Food Service Program and offering meals to children at Summer BreakSpots pop-up pantries in underprivileged communities.
As if these dire circumstances aren’t enough, donations are decreasing and donor dollars aren’t stretching as far as they used to. Feeding South Florida is collaborating with Feeding America to secure more food, but other food banks in the country are also seeking these resources. Feeding South Florida is providing aid to more than 1.1 million people through its partner agencies, Mobile FARMacy, choice pantries, home delivery meal program, and distributions across their service area.
