Latest news with #FeedingSouthFlorida
Miami Herald
30-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
A federal program sent local farmers' fresh produce to food banks. It's being cut
Stew — a big pot of it — with onions, potatoes and bell peppers. Maybe a little bit of meat, if they're lucky, Jackie Brown muttered, chewing over potential dinner ideas for her family as she surveyed the produce refrigerator at the Feeding South Florida food bank in Pembroke Park on a recent afternoon. She was planning a week of meals for herself and the five grandchildren she's raising, all big eaters, and needed something hearty that would also yield leftovers. Brown, 59, is one of the 1.2 million South Floridians who relied on Feeding South Florida, the region's largest food bank, last year to supplement their groceries. As rising costs of living have nudged more locals into greater financial precariousness and closer to hunger, the organization reported that nearly two in 10 South Floridians turned to it last year for food. But recent federal funding cuts mean Feeding South Florida's budget is about to shrink by more than 30%. As part of its push to reduce federal spending, the Trump administration shuttered the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), a $900 million initiative started in 2021 to help food banks purchase produce from local farmers. In doing so, it lopped $13.5 million — nearly all of the food bank's federal funding — from Feeding South Florida's budget. That means fewer vegetables on the table for families like Brown's, and fewer orders for the farmers who grow them. ▪ ▪ ▪ Particularly toward the end of the month, Brown relies on food banks like Feeding South Florida to put meals on the table. 'That's what I use the food bank for,' she said, 'to fill in that last week of the month before I get more [food stamp] assistance.' Like many across the country, and especially in South Florida, her household has felt the squeeze of rising prices. U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows grocery prices have jumped roughly 30% since 2020. Over the same period of time, Miami-Dade's rate of food insecurity — people who don't have enough to eat — has spiked by 50%. On any given day, roughly 400,000 Miamians, 15% of the county's population, don't know where their next meal will come from. Compounding that vulnerability are proposed major cuts to federal spending on food assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), better known as food stamps, on which nearly 3 million Floridians, including Brown and her five grandchildren, rely. For Brown's family and others that are either food insecure or close to it, food banks have become especially important for ensuring access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The local produce purchase program is largely to thank. Feeding South Florida estimates that nearly half of its produce is purchased with money from the program. Without the funding, the food bank told the Miami Herald it anticipates 'a reduction in both the volume and variety of fresh foods available' at its food banks and that its 'capacity to provide nutritious food will be significantly affected.' Robin Safley, the CEO of Feeding South Florida's umbrella organization, Feeding Florida, emphasized the economic importance of guaranteeing access to healthy, fresh food. Those served by her organization's affiliate food banks disproportionately deal with chronic health issues, including diabetes, said Safley. 'Many of them are also on Medicaid,' she noted, 'so those chronic conditions can really drive up the cost of health care.' Healthy eating plays a critical role in mitigating those costs, she added. But beyond those health impacts, Safley pointed out that the program has given local farmers more opportunities to sell produce in their home communities. ▪ ▪ ▪ At his farm in Palm Beach County earlier this month, J.D. Poole shouted over the sound of water raining from pipes affixed to the ceiling, cooling boxes of freshly picked corn below. A third-generation farmer from Belle Glade, Poole co-founded Scotlynn Sweet-Pac Growers in 2012. Still based in Belle Glade, the company plants, harvests and ships thousands of acres of sweet corn, pumpkins, cabbage, watermelon and asparagus each year. Thanks to the federal food purchase initiative, from which Florida received and dispersed more than $20 million to food banks last year, Feeding South Florida has been a major buyer from Poole. He estimates his farm sends more than 1 million pounds of produce each year down to the food bank, which purchases those orders with money from the program. Poole said the arrangement accounts for roughly 10% of Sweet-Pac Growers' annual revenue. The program was particularly helpful for selling perfectly good produce that grocery stores wouldn't buy because of slight aesthetic imperfections, he added. 'Rather than walk away and take a huge financial loss' on those vegetables, the program helped his business recoup planting investments that otherwise would've been lost, while at the same time 'providing really good, fresh food at a reasonable cost to the needy.' If not for the program, that produce would've been thrown out. That's what will likely happen now. He was grateful to provide for those in need, but Poole says he can't afford to harvest, process, package and ship his produce to food banks on his own dime. He hopes the president will reconsider the program's termination. A Trump voter, Poole is generally content with the administration thus far. And he backs Trump and the Department of Governmental Efficiency's (DOGE) purported efforts to eliminate the 'fluff' in government spending. But, he said, this initiative is not fluff. 'It's a very needed program.' Poole is far from alone in the agriculture community in his assessment. Aaron Shier, the government relations director at the National Farmers Union, a D.C.-based advocacy group, said the program has been important for many community farmers and strengthened local food supply chains, all while feeding people in need. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, a Florida Democrat who sits on the House Appropriations Committee's agriculture subcommittee, described the program as a 'win-win for our local farmers and for families in need.' Its cancellation is a 'gut punch,' she told the Herald, especially for small farmers and food-insecure people. People like Brown. The grandmother's disability benefits and SNAP assistance alone aren't enough for her to provide for her dependent grandchildren, whose mother died and whose father isn't in the picture. But Brown, turning to her friend Lathoya Bennett, said she feels lucky. 'Lots of people, lots of homeless people, can't even get here to get [this food]. We really need more of this.' Bennett nodded as she looked over the piles of carrots and onions: 'This is really a blessing.' This story was produced with financial support from supporters including The Green Family Foundation Trust and Ken O'Keefe, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Florida food banks feel the sting of DOGE cuts
Miami — Before sunrise on a recent May day, workers at the Miami-area food bank Feeding South Florida move, load and stack pallets of food and household goods onto trucks. With the help of volunteers, this flurry of activity has allowed the organization to distribute food to 1.2 million people throughout four Florida counties. The food goes to people like Rosalyn Budgett, who lives on a fixed income and comes to Feeding South Florida every two months. "I'm able to get a balanced meal on a daily basis," Budgett told CBS News. She says that without the food bank, "I'd probably starve." But the aid she relies on has been reduced. In March, the White House's Department of Government Efficiency cut funding for about $1 billion worth of U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. The two federal programs that were cut allowed schools and food banks to purchase food directly from local farmers and producers. "We've been seeing empty racks since February," Paco Velez, CEO of Feeding South Florida, told CBS News. "These cuts have really made an impact, not just on our ability to serve, but on the families' ability to thrive in South Florida and across the country." For Feeding South Florida, the cuts amount to 40% of its $37 million annual budget. "It's an unfortunate situation, because we see that our families are desperate," Velez said. "They're coming in more frequently than they ever have. And we're trying to maintain as much food as we can. But there is a little desperation." The line of cars for weekly food distribution at Ebenezer Church in South Miami has only gotten longer over the years. Pastor Roberto Blanco, who gets part of the supply from Feeding South Florida's warehouse, is working with less. The situation is affecting farmers too. East Coast Farm and Vegetables near Parkland, Florida, partnered with Feeding South Florida to use federal dollars to pick and pack surplus produce destined for families in need. "This a great use of our tax dollars," said Katelyn Garcia, vice president of East Coast Farm and Vegetables. "We are not only helping our in the States, but you're also feeding families." Without the funds to process the produce, farmers are hoping crops won't go to waste. Says Garcia: "We know that the end goal is to feed people and we need to work towards that goal." Manuel Bojorquez Manuel Bojorquez is a CBS News national correspondent based in Miami. He joined CBS News in 2012 as a Dallas-based correspondent and was promoted to national correspondent for the network's Miami bureau in January 2017. contributed to this report.
.png&w=3840&q=100)
Miami Herald
01-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Thieves steal $30k worth of vital equipment from Feeding South Florida. How to help
Feeding South Florida, a food bank that aids millions of food-insecure residents, is asking for the community's help finding vital kitchen equipment worth thousands of dollars and bringing the men responsible to justice. Around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, at least two men burglarized Feeding South Florida's Pembroke Park warehouse, running off with two mobile teaching kitchens valued at $15,000 each, the food bank said. The thieves chose the one day a week when the warehouse is closed. Evan Ross, a spokesperson for Pembroke Park Police, said authorities are in the early stages of investigating the burglary and are combing through surveillance footage, which showed two thieves taking the equipment. The food bank uses the portable teaching kitchens to perform hands-on cooking demonstrations directly to families it serves, teaching culinary skills and the importance of healthy food choices. Feeding South Florida emphasized the burglary could not come at a worse time, as there are about 2.1 million South Floridians who face food insecurities. Pembroke Park Police are asking anyone with information on the burglary to call the department at (954)- 764-4357 or call Broward CrimeStoppers at 954-493-8477.
CBS News
30-04-2025
- CBS News
Thieves take $30K worth of mobile kitchens from Feeding South Florida: Crucial loss
Thieves stole two mobile teaching kitchens, valued at $15K each, from Feeding South Florida's warehouse in Pembroke Park. Sunday's thefts occurred at a critical time when officials report that 2.1 million South Floridians are grappling with food insecurity. Feeding South Florida The stolen kitchens are significant losses for Feeding South Florida. The portable kitchens serve as interactive teaching stations for the Kitchen à la Cart™ program, where hands-on cooking demonstrations educate families on culinary skills and healthy food choices, according to the organization. Feeding South Florida, which released videos and images on Tuesday, is actively working to identify and locate the two men involved in Sunday's robbery. The videos show the men removing the mobile teaching kitchens from a trailer, loading them into the back of a truck, and then driving away. Anyone with information should contact Feeding South Florida at (954) 518-1857.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BJ's Wholesale Club Awards $75,000 Grant to Feeding South Florida
Donation will provide nutritious food for students of Palm Beach County MARLBOROUGH, Mass. & WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., January 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BJ's Wholesale Club (NYSE: BJ) announced today that it has awarded a $75,000 grant through BJ's Charitable Foundation to Feeding South Florida®, the area's leading hunger-relief organization. The grant supports Feeding South Florida's School Pantry Program in Palm Beach County, providing food during the 40-week school year for students and their families experiencing food insecurity. Funding also covers shelving, equipment, signage and administrative costs. "At BJ's, we're driven by a powerful purpose: taking care of the families who depend on us," said Kirk Saville, Head of Corporate Communications, BJ's Wholesale Club. "We're honored to make a difference for families in the West Palm Beach community." BJ's has a longstanding commitment to nourishing its communities. For over 15 years, it has worked with Feeding America and its network of food banks, providing more than 125 million meals for those in need. BJ's Wholesale Club in West Palm Beach donates produce, meat, dairy and more to the Feeding South Florida food bank every week. "Many times, children don't have nourishing meals between Friday's school lunch and Monday's school breakfast, resulting in poor performance, behavior problems and health issues," said President and CEO of Feeding South Florida, Paco Vélez. "BJ's Wholesale Club has been an invaluable supporter in providing to families facing food insecurity in our communities. We're incredibly grateful for this generous donation and BJ's ongoing support." Feeding South Florida's School Pantry Program addresses the urgent issue of food insecurity among children by placing pantries directly in schools stocked with nutritious food for the entire family. Providing choice and variety, families gain access to produce and shelf-stable items and receive benefits assistance and healthy recipes. BJ's Wholesale Club in West Palm Beach opened on October 25th at 777 Executive Center Drive. Local shoppers interested in becoming BJ's members can stop by the club or visit to learn more. About BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BJ) is a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs focused on delivering significant value to its members and serving a shared purpose: "We take care of the families who depend on us." The company provides a wide assortment of fresh foods, produce, a full-service deli, fresh bakery, household essentials, various exclusive offerings, gas and more to deliver unbeatable value to smart-saving families. Headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the company pioneered the warehouse club model in New England in 1984 and currently operates 249 clubs and 186 BJ's Gas® locations in 21 states. For more information, please visit us at or on Facebook, or Instagram. About Feeding South Florida®Feeding South Florida is a member of the Feeding America network and is the leading hunger-relief organization serving Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. Providing support for 25 percent of the state's food insecure population, its mission is to end hunger in South Florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger, and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through innovative programming and education. Feeding South Florida served more than *1.17 million individuals through direct-service programs and a local network of more than 350 nonprofit and community partners. Visit or call 954-518-1818. View source version on Contacts Media: Kirk SavilleHead of Corporate CommunicationsBJ's Wholesale Clubksaville@ 774-512-5597 Briana KeeneSr. Manager, External CommunicationsBJ's Wholesale Clubbkeene@ 774-512-6802 Sign in to access your portfolio
