JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 Jacksonville leaders are teaming up to help out members of the community in need due to the shutdown and disruptions to the SNAP federal food assistance program. <\/p>\n
A new community coalition announced Wednesday morning aims to bring together and better target resources. <\/p>\n
Disabled Army veteran Lonranda Lofton relies on SNAP benefits to help feed her two special needs children.<\/p>\n
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<<\/a><\/p>\n She\u2019s one of roughly 6,000 local veterans who have had their federal food assistance disrupted due to the government shutdown.<\/p>\n \u201cIt takes away from rent. It takes away from life. I have been fortunate enough not to have to pull from that, but it has been relatively tight,\u201d said Lofton.<\/p>\n City-wide, 160,000 Jacksonville residents rely on SNAP, which provides an average of $190 a month to supplement the cost of food.<\/p>\n City data shows some council districts are more impacted than others.<\/p>\n In District 10, more than 30 percent of residents rely on SNAP.<\/p>\n One in five households in Councilmember Ken Amaro\u2019s District 1 are also feeling the pain.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an issue that it may not affect your home, but I tell you if you look across the fence, it\u2019s probably affecting your neighbor,\u201d said Amaro.<\/p>\n [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks<\/a>]<\/p>\n Amaro joined with Mayor Donna Deegan and a coalition of 45 nonprofits, faith groups, and food banks to announce the formation of the Duval Cares Coalition<\/a>.<\/p>\n It aims to link those in need to resources, encourage those with the means to give to help out, and direct food to where it\u2019s needed most.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s make sure that not only is everybody educated and aware of the problem, where the problems persist, where they\u2019re the worst and let\u2019s all ban together with everything that we have to be able to solve that problem,\u201d said Deegan.<\/p>\n JEA also announced it will suspend late fees and expand criteria for payment plans and payment arrangements to relieve some burden on those impacted.<\/p>\n For Lofton, she said seeing the community come together to help means the world.<\/p>\n \u201cTo know that complete strangers are willing to help me and my kids is beyond amazing to me,\u201d said Lofton.<\/p>\n