food insecurity

The money will be used to expand and improve the organization's food distribution in its 16-county serving area.

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.

The funds will expand the capabilities of the hospital's employee assistance program, which also provides contract services to 19 other major employers in North Florida.

Centro Juan Diego in Bonita Springs feeds clients year-round. After Ian, the need at the food pantry has quadrupled.

The eastern counties served by the regional food bank could especially be impacted by the storm and need help in its aftermath.

The hope is that community organizations such as churches and senior citizen centers will help identify those older folks who are nutritionally deprived.

Covid-19 stretched food banks thin across the state, as Floridians lost their jobs and businesses. The food banks somehow adjusted. Now unemployment is low, but inflation and supply-chain issues are driving a new wave of need.

Food banks somehow rose to the occasion when Covid-19 put Floridians out of work. But now they have to deal with inflation, too.

The traditional in-person packing sessions had been on hold during the pandemic, but were back on Saturday