MICHELLE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. STU, WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON IS IMPACTING LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO RELY ON SNAP BENEFITS FOR FOOD. AND ONE TEAM IN OSCEOLA COUNTY IS TREATING HUNGER LIKE A 911 CALL. WESH TWO LUANA MUNOZ SHOWS US HOW THE COUNTY’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM IS HELPING FILL THE GAP. IT’S NOT ABOUT PEOPLE BEING LAZY. IT’S NOT THAT WE JUST WANT TO SIT HOME. AT LEAST I DON’T WANT TO SIT HOME AND JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE TAKE CARE OF ME. ASHLEY RIVERA RECENTLY MOVED TO FLORIDA TO CARE FOR FAMILY. SHE HAS CHILDREN, AND AFTER MONTHS OF APPLYING FOR JOBS, SHE HASN’T FOUND A THING. SNAP HAS BEEN HELPING. BUT LIKE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, HER BENEFIT ACCOUNT IS ZERO. NOW SHE’S NEEDING MORE HELP FROM PANTRIES LIKE THE OSCEOLA EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM. I NEED A SUGAR. I’VE NEVER HAD BEEN TO PANTRIES BEFORE. MY GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS USED TO TELL ME, GO FIND A PANTRY AND IT’LL BE FINE. I’M LIKE, NO, THAT’S OKAY. LEAVE IT FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED IT. AND HERE I AM NOW. I CURRENTLY NEED IT. OTHERS IN LINE AT THE PANTRY ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION BETWEEN ONE PERSON WORKING, WHICH IS MY HUSBAND, ME, AND BEING A SINGLE MOM WITH MY KIDS AT HOME WHILE HE’S AT WORK. BY THE TIME HE PAYS RENT, HE HAS NOTHING TO CALL FOR. JUST LIKE THE NAME SAYS, THE PANTRY IS AVAILABLE 24 OVER SEVEN. WHEN IT’S AN EMERGENCY, THEY’LL EVEN DRIVE TO CUSTOMERS IF NEEDED. THE ECONOMY, HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW, EVERYTHING IS JUST SO EXPENSIVE. LIKE I SAID, EVEN WITH FOOD STAMPS, YOU’RE STILL STRUGGLING. THAT’S JUST THE TRUTH. AND NOW WITHOUT THAT MENTALLY YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU’RE IN CRISIS MODE. THE PANTRY’S FOUNDER, RICHARD HERR, HAS MADE FEEDING CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND ANYONE FACING HUNGER HIS PERSONAL MISSION. HE SAYS NOW IS A TIME FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER. MAYBE WHEN THEY GET THE FOOD STAMPS BACK, MAYBE PEOPLE WILL BE MORE GENEROUS TO OTHER PEOPLE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT I SEE RIGHT NOW. IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS ALL, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN I GET? WHAT CAN I GET? BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST SHOW LOVE AND UNITY AND IT ALL JUST COMES TOGETHER. AND IF YOU’RE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN GIVE RIGHT NOW, THE OSCEOLA RESPONSE TEAM HAS NINE OF THESE FREEZERS ACROSS THE COUNTY WHERE YOU CAN PUT FROZEN FOOD ITEMS OR ITEMS THAT JUST NEED CHILLING, AS WELL AS DRY FOODS AND NON-PERISHABLES. COVERING OSCEOLA COUNTY, LUANA MUNOZ WESH TWO NEWS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHERE YOU CAN FIN
Florida families rely on emergency pantry during government shutdown
Updated: 5:45 PM EST Nov 5, 2025
Ashley Rivera recently moved to Florida to care for her family. She has three children, two of them are younger. After months of applying for jobs and going on interviews, she hasn’t landed anything.SNAP benefits have been helping her fill the gap, but like millions of Americans, her account is $0 due to the government shutdown. “It’s not about people being lazy. It’s not like we are sitting at home, at least I don’t want to sit at home, and have people take care of me,” she said. Rivera turned to the Osceola Response T.E.A.M., an emergency pantry that is available 24/7. “I never had been to a pantry. My grandmother used to tell me go find a pantry. I’m like no that’s okay. Leave it for people that need it. Here I am. Now, I currently need it,” she said. Others at the pantry like Sabrina Simmons were in a similar situation. “Between one person working, which is my husband, and me being a stay-at-home mom with my kids while he is at work. By the time he pays rent, he has nothing to show for,” said Sabrina Simmons.Founder of the Osceola Response T.E.A.M., Richard Herr, has made it his personal mission to feed families across the county. There are nine freezers countywide where people can donate food.”The economy the way it is right now, everything is just so expensive. Like I said, even with food stamps, you’re still struggling. It’s just the truth. Without that, you’re in crisis mode,” said Herr. Herr says it’s the result of crises like these that matter most. “Maybe when they get those food stamps back, maybe people will be more generous to other people. That’s what I see right now. In the beginning, it was all just what can I get what can I get. You just show love and unity and it all just comes together,” said Herr.”We need to be a better community and work together and help each other instead of working against each other and judging,” said Rivera. “You never know where you could be. I’ve had amazing jobs. You never know where you could be tomorrow, though.” The pantry has 12 locations across the county. To learn more about how you can donate or receive assistance, go to https://www.osceolaresponseteam.org/.You can also follow them on Facebook
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. —
Ashley Rivera recently moved to Florida to care for her family. She has three children, two of them are younger. After months of applying for jobs and going on interviews, she hasn’t landed anything.
SNAP benefits have been helping her fill the gap, but like millions of Americans, her account is $0 due to the government shutdown.
“It’s not about people being lazy. It’s not like we are sitting at home, at least I don’t want to sit at home, and have people take care of me,” she said.
Rivera turned to the Osceola Response T.E.A.M., an emergency pantry that is available 24/7.
“I never had been to a pantry. My grandmother used to tell me go find a pantry. I’m like no that’s okay. Leave it for people that need it. Here I am. Now, I currently need it,” she said.
Others at the pantry like Sabrina Simmons were in a similar situation.
“Between one person working, which is my husband, and me being a stay-at-home mom with my kids while he is at work. By the time he pays rent, he has nothing to show for,” said Sabrina Simmons.
Founder of the Osceola Response T.E.A.M., Richard Herr, has made it his personal mission to feed families across the county. There are nine freezers countywide where people can donate food.
“The economy the way it is right now, everything is just so expensive. Like I said, even with food stamps, you’re still struggling. It’s just the truth. Without that, you’re in crisis mode,” said Herr.
Herr says it’s the result of crises like these that matter most.
“Maybe when they get those food stamps back, maybe people will be more generous to other people. That’s what I see right now. In the beginning, it was all just what can I get what can I get. You just show love and unity and it all just comes together,” said Herr.
“We need to be a better community and work together and help each other instead of working against each other and judging,” said Rivera. “You never know where you could be. I’ve had amazing jobs. You never know where you could be tomorrow, though.”
The pantry has 12 locations across the county. To learn more about how you can donate or receive assistance, go to https://www.osceolaresponseteam.org/.
You can also follow them on Facebook