Fewer choices await those who struggle with hunger in South Florida.
Community fridges may not be as fully stocked as usual. Food distributions and healthy produce giveaways are less frequent. And South Florida’s food relief agencies are concerned that more people will go hungry because of reduced or eliminated funding.
According to the National Young Farmers Coalition, billions in federal funding for farmers and organizations has been frozen since January, despite lawfully signed contracts and court orders directing funding to flow. Farmers aren’t receiving reimbursements for major investments they’ve made in their businesses, putting their financial security at risk.
“More people are needing food assistance as their support systems are cut and they’re suffering from inflation’s lasting effects,” says Art Friedrich of Urban Oasis Project. “They feel more insecure as they are watching the federal budget bill threatening to greatly reduce SNAP benefits. Farmers know this will mean a loss of markets for them, since direct sales and farmers markets have increasingly become a source of revenue.”
The largest provider of emergency food assistance in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, Feeding South Florida serves children, older adults, the working poor, single parents and veterans. They rescue food from farmers, retail stores, manufacturers, companies and food drives and distribute it through food pantries, soup kitchens, group homes, shelters, child care centers and other partner agencies.
This year, budget cuts and reduced grant funding are taking a toll on their ability to feed people who depend on them, says Feeding South Florida’s Paco Vélez. “When programs like SNAP (food stamps) and TEFAP [The Emergency Food Assistance Program] face cuts, it directly means fewer meals on the table for those struggling with hunger. Families relying on Feeding South Florida for fresh, healthy food will, unfortunately, face fewer options, especially when it comes to essential items like fresh produce, dairy and protein. We’re forced to shift more toward shelf-stable, less nutritious products.”
Community Fridges Lose Funding
It’s easy to spot Buddy System MIA’s colorfully painted community fridges in South Florida neighborhoods. Here, people can give what they have and take what they need. The nonprofit, which started during the pandemic, also operates monthly food distributions and a homebound food access program for seniors and the disabled.
Now, those programs are hurting. “We’re facing a pretty massive funding cut from the CDC/Department of Health that kept our programs running for three years,” says executive director Kristin Guerin, leaving them with a $160,000 funding gap. They’ve applied for 41 grants to make up the difference, but many grant programs are being paused or eliminated because of federal budget cuts. “We started an emergency fundraiser about a month ago and are already 25 percent of the way to our goal,” she says.
“The hits just keep coming,” laments Asha Walker of Health in the Hood, a nonprofit that has been feeding the needy through food distributions for 11 years. “It started with funding cuts to Feeding America [70 percent of their donations come from Feeding South Florida]. We’re losing food, and gaining more food-insecure people,” she says. At the height of the pandemic, they were giving away food to families twice a week. Now it’s down to once a month.
Food Rescue US – South Florida hosts free food distributions in different communities over the summer. The nonprofit, which “rescues” food from events and businesses, doesn’t receive or rely on government funding, but they are feeling the pressure to provide more food to partners and communities, says director Ellen Bowen.
“Over 2.9 million Florida residents receive SNAP benefits,” she says. “Just in Miami-Dade County, over 24 percent of all households receive benefits. Many are children and seniors. Most of the pantries, shelters and receiving agencies we provide for are in underserved areas, many within view of million-dollar condo complexes – a juxtaposition between wealth and poverty!
How best to help? “Money, but also participation – contacting elected officials,” says Friedrich. “Get on their mailing lists.” “Volunteer. Write a check,” says Walker. “Healthy eating is a human right.”
