Northeast and North Central Florida are facing a landscape that has fundamentally changed how our neighbors put food on the table. New pressures have emerged, while old certainties have shifted. Yet our commitment to our community has not wavered, because hunger does not wait for certainty.
We are serving more neighbors with fewer resources; the safety net is contracting, but the need is not.
This month, Feeding Northeast Florida enters Hunger Action Month, a dedicated time to raise awareness of food insecurity and mobilize our community to act. This year's theme, "Together, We Take Action," reminds us that solving hunger has always been — and will always be — a community effort.
The past year has tested our region in ways few could have anticipated.
Across our 12-county service area, more families are turning to food banks and local pantries for help. At the same time, the resources available to meet that need have become more limited.
Rising food and transportation costs mean every donated dollar simply doesn't stretch as far as it once did, but the number of people who need help continues to grow.
Today, more than 306,000 people across Northeast and North Central Florida (including 95,000 children) experience food insecurity. These are not abstract numbers; they are children sitting in classrooms, seniors living on fixed incomes, veterans who served our country and working parents doing everything they can to provide for their families.
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Together, they face a gap of more than 58 million missing meals every year, and closing that gap requires $231.5 million each year in funding for food purchases.
What gives me hope is what I have witnessed throughout my time at Feeding Northeast Florida. I have seen farmers, businesses, faith communities, volunteers, nonprofit partners and generous donors come together to ensure our neighbors don't face hunger alone. Every day, I see people choosing compassion, generosity and action.
At Feeding Northeast Florida, we know how to turn that generosity into impact. We stretch every dollar, build innovative partnerships and work tirelessly to get healthy food into the hands of the people who need it most. We cannot do it alone, however.
This Hunger Action Month, I invite everyone to take action. Volunteer at the food bank or at a local food pantry. Organize a food drive. Make a financial contribution if you're able. Every act of kindness — no matter the size — helps strengthen the safety net for families throughout our region.
As I prepare to retire at the end of this year, I have never been more confident in this community's heart. Over the years, I have watched Northeast Florida rally around its neighbors time and again, proving that compassion is one of our community's greatest strengths. I know that spirit will continue long after I pass the baton.
Hunger ends where community begins. Together, we can ensure that every neighbor has the opportunity to put healthy food on the table and hope within reach.
Susan King is the president and CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida in Jacksonville, which she has led since 2019. During that time, the agency successfully merged with Bread of the Mighty in Gainesville, and completely renovated its 110,000-square-foot headquarters.
King’s tenure also included the launch of Project S.H.A.R.E. (which prepared and served meals during COVID), a demonstration garden, a commercial kitchen and a full-service client-choice pantry that will operate as a “best practice” model, as well as an agency training center currently under construction. She retires in December.
This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Safety net smaller, need larger for food insecure in NE Fla | Opinion
