Feeding Florida

The plan would expand a pilot program that pays growers to provide excess dairy, beef and eggs to food banks

"They’re just troupers." The food bank hasn’t missed a beat in responding to last month’s tornadoes, despite having to lay off 20 employees in March.

Executive Director Monique Ellsworth said her organization isn't the only food bank now struggling with new grant reductions and restrictions.

Volunteers load boxes of food -- supplied by Second Harvest, Farm Share, Publix and others -- into a line of vehicles that come to Victory House every other Saturday

The network of food banks has entered into a contract with the state Department of Children and Families to do Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) education, teaching people to cook and store the food they're getting.

Feeding Florida, the state’s network of 12 food banks, is trying to take a more localized approach to addressing hunger needs across the state. The…