{"id":50212,"date":"2025-11-17T19:24:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T19:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/50212\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T19:24:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T19:24:09","slug":"orange-county-to-give-1m-to-second-harvest-food-bank-to-meet-rising-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/50212\/","title":{"rendered":"Orange County to give $1M to Second Harvest Food Bank to meet rising need"},"content":{"rendered":"

Orange County leaders are poised to approve an extra $1 million<\/a> for the region\u2019s largest hunger relief organization this week, in light of the recent uncertainty surrounding federal food assistance and the impact of the 43-day government shutdown that ended last week.<\/p>\n

Most federal government employees, including tens of thousands in Central Florida alone, were furloughed for the duration of the shutdown or forced to continue working without pay for the duration of the shutdown. (The status of back pay for those workers is yet to be determined<\/a>, although a document reviewed by Semafor shows the administration is working on getting payments out<\/a> by Nov. 19.)<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Orange County\u2019s board of county commissioners and Mayor Jerry Demings will vote on whether to approve the extra funding for Second Harvest Food Bank<\/a>, which serves seven counties (including Orange) across Central Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Based in Orlando, Second Harvest already has a three-year $7.75 million contract with the county, approved by county commissioners in August. But after the Trump administration pretended<\/a> they didn\u2019t have the money to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for millions of low-income families during the government shutdown, Mayor Demings proposed an additional $1 million investment from the county to support food assistance efforts.<\/p>\n

Especially since Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, unlike governors in other states<\/a>, refused<\/a> to step up and commit state resources for food aid.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing I like about living in Orange County is that we are a compassionate community,\u201d Demings said at a press conference in late October, organized just days before funding for SNAP was expected to run out. \u201cWe come together when we need to during a crisis, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re asking us to do today, is as a community, let us come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demings can\u2019t approve extra funding for Second Harvest unilaterally. That\u2019s why he\u2019s set it up for a vote this Tuesday, in front of the full board of county commissioners.<\/p>\n

Although the federal government officially reopened this past Wednesday, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history, Demings defended his proposal to provide additional support Friday when questioned by hosts of WMNF Radio\u2019s Tampa-based news program<\/a>, \u201cThe Skinny.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, my central job is to look out for the people in my community, and we have countless federal employees who now went well over 30 days without any pay,\u201d Demings said, when pressed on the issue. \u201cThen we have the temporary suspension, if you will, of SNAP benefits that has impacted residents in my community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re simply saying here in Orange County [is] if we have the ability to assist those who may need food, we\u2019re going to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demings, a former county sheriff first elected mayor in 2018, recently launched<\/a> a campaign for Florida governor. With DeSantis term-limited from seeking re-election next year, Demings will face a tough campaign ahead against Republican opponents, including the Trump-endorsed Republican Congressman Byron Donalds.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\u2018Florida\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tDemings formally announced his bid for governor, setting up a Democratic primary fight next year against former Congressman David Jolly\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

The federal SNAP program, formerly known as food stamps, serves nearly 42 million Americans, including 175,000 households in Orange County earning up to 200 percent<\/a> of the federal poverty level. That\u2019s equal to just over $31,000 for a single childless adult, or $64,300 for a family of four.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stephanie Palacios, director of advocacy and government relations for Second Harvest, told Orlando Weekly last month that most of the people they serve are working families. Florida has work requirements<\/a> in place for most adults who receive SNAP benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are people who are working one and two jobs, and they\u2019re struggling with high rent and challenges at the grocery store, so they are turning to our pantry network to help fill in those gaps,\u201d Palacios said in an interview.<\/p>\n

Her organization works with a network of 870 community partners across Orange, Osceola, Brevard, Lake, Volusia, Brevard and Marion counties to distribute food to those in need. Although the government has reopened, it\u2019s still unclear<\/a> when SNAP benefits will be distributed by the Florida Department of Children and Families, the state administrator of the program. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins said Thursday that most should receive their payments by Monday, Nov. 17, at the latest.<\/p>\n

According to Axios, Florida hasn\u2019t publicly released a timeline<\/a> for this, unlike more than a dozen states \u2014 red and blue \u2014 that have already confirmed their release of November SNAP benefits. The Tallahassee Democrat reports that some Florida residents have started to receive their benefits or have received partial benefits for the month. Others are still waiting.<\/p>\n

On average, Florida SNAP recipients receive about $186 per month<\/a> for food, or $6.12 per person, per day. With about 2.9 million Floridians receiving federal food assistance each month, Florida has the fourth-largest enrollment <\/a>of SNAP recipients in the country.<\/p>\n

If you need help finding food for yourself or your family, search for your nearest food pantry through Second Harvest\u2019s Food Finder Tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tExpiring Affordable Care Act tax credits have been central to the funding fight behind the federal government shutdown\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Orange\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe debt relief initiative, made possible through funds from the Biden administration, has relieved medical debt for 302,000 people.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Democrats\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tNearly 3 million people are expected to lose access to the federal food assistance program\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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