September is Hunger Action Month.

For nearly 3.1 million Floridians, a daily meal isn’t a choice between cuisines. It’s a choice between crucial needs like medicine, electricity, or childcare. We at Feeding Florida believe hunger has a tangible solution, but it takes selfless people to help make a difference. How will you choose to help us in the fight to end hunger?

Three steps to take right now: Learn, Commit and Speak Up. 

LEARN

Learn about hunger in your area- connect with your local food bank to understand the need in your community. The unexpected faces of hunger will surprise you. More than 1 in 10 Floridians are food insecure- so which one of your coworkers, your neighbors, or your kids’ friends fall into that category? It’s much closer to home than you think.

If larger organizations, municipalities, and agencies want to learn how to put an end to hunger in Florida, they must first understand where people are experiencing hunger and how we can provide resources. One of the best ways to identify at a hyper-local level is by utilizing our Meal Deficit Metric, created with Mari Gallagher Research Group. This data reveals missing meals and key demographic data at the block group and census track level. 

COMMIT

To truly fight hunger, people need to commit to making a difference. You can impact lives in a variety of ways. Our 12-member food banks welcome volunteers to help pack produce and crucial food items and distribute to those in the community who need it most. You can also share your talents as an intern or specialty volunteer helping with social media, healthcare education, outreach, clerical work, and more. 

Our food banks also gratefully welcome food donations and financial contributions. Because of their supply chain and purchasing options, they can turn your $10 donation into 10 meals. Imagine how that can multiply if you donate monthly or if you convince your company to hold a large fundraiser. Speaking of imagining a change, a fun way to donate is through the purchase of the Imagine Tag, a Florida license plate with John Lennon’s iconic self-portrait. This specialty tag’s proceeds go entirely to feeding Florida. Buy a tag, fill a plate.

SPEAK UP

Helping at the ground level is the most obvious way to get involved, but helping at the highest levels can have the most lasting impacts. By speaking up to your elected officials, you can encourage them to pass policy that supports food banks, funds workforce development, provides summer meals to children, and more. Encourage them to join the fight. Our food banks rely on government funding and aid to help put food on the tables for millions of individuals across all 67 counties. 

To find out more about how to help put an end to hunger in Florida, visit the following links: 

Find your local food bank: 
https://www.feedingflorida.org/feeding-florida/florida-food-banks

Meal Deficit Metric: 
https://www.feedingflorida.org/staying-informed/meal-deficit-metric

Donate: 
https://www.feedingflorida.org/taking-action/donate

Volunteer: 
https://www.feedingflorida.org/taking-action/volunteer

Imagine Tag:  
https://www.feedingflorida.org/taking-action/imagine-tag

Advocate: 
https://www.feedingflorida.org/taking-action/advocate