(Photo via Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s Facebook)
ORLANDO | Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad is partnering with local organizations to host a holiday food giveaway Nov. 15 as a direct response to the suspended SNAP benefits.
They will be providing 450 local families with holiday food supplies, including a turkey, a holiday box of food staples, a bag of potatoes, a bag of apples and a package of ground beef, ensuring that families in need will be able to have a full holiday meal this year.
“No family should have to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table, especially during the holiday season,” Semrad said. “We’re coming together as a community to make sure every family feels cared for and supported.”
Partnering with Semrad are local organizations Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, Orange County Public Schools, School Board Member Angie Gallo and the Orange County Firefighters Union Local 2057.
The food drive will be held on Nov. 15 at Union Park Elementary School, 1844 Westfall Dr, Orlando 32817. This event first comes first serve while supplies last and is open to all families in the community. Families are encouraged to arrive early.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a nonprofit organization working to end hunger across Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties. Each day, more than 300,000 meals are provided for families, kids and seniors facing hunger through a network of feeding partners.
With the government shutdown, there are no immediate impacts to Second Harvest Food Bank. The Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides about 25% of our annual food supply, continues to operate, and orders continue to arrive as scheduled.
However, this stability may be temporary. It remains unclear how long federal and state funding for TEFAP will continue if the shutdown persists. Second Harvest is closely monitoring the situation and preparing for potential disruptions.
For more information, visit FeedHopeNow.org.
Sign up for the Watermark Out News eNewsletter and follow us for more:
BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Threads | YouTube
