Second Harvest Food Bank Of Central Florida Inc

DEDICATED TO ALLEVIATING HUNGER THROUGH ACQUISITION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND GROCERY PRODUCTS, COMMUNITY EDUCATION TO THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF HUNGER, AND MEANINGFUL ACTION ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE IN NEED OF FOOD.

GENERAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION: COLLECTION, WAREHOUSING, AND DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCT FROM LOCAL AND NATIONAL FOOD INDUSTRY DONORS, COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVES, AND PURCHASES TO NON-PROFIT AGENCIES WITH FEEDING AND/OR FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS. THE FOOD IS PROVIDED TO PARTNER AGENCIES AT A GREATLY REDUCED COST. THE PARTNER AGENCIES PROVIDE THE FOOD TO PEOPLE IN NEED AT NO COST. 79,822,807 POUNDS OF FOOD WERE DISTRIBUTED WHICH PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 66,519,006 MEALS.

COMMUNITY KITCHEN: THE SECOND HARVEST COMMUNITY KITCHEN PROVIDES ECOMONIC OPPORTUNITY PATHWAYS TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE FORM OF QUALITY JOBS. COMMUNITY KITCHEN'S 16-WEEK CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAM FOCUSES ON FOOD SERVICE-BASED TECHNICAL, LIFE, AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TRAINING FOR ADULTS. IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, THE CULINARY TEAM ASSIST STUDENTS WITH JOB PLACEMENT THAT PAY A STANDARD LIVING WAGE OR ABOVE LIVING WAGE, HAVE HEALTHCARE BENEFITS, AND UPWARD MOBILITY. IN HOPES OF CLOSING WORKFORCE EQUITY GAPS BY FOCUSING ON JOB QUALITY, WE PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO THRIVE IN A CHANGING ECONOMY.THE PROGRAM GRADUATES APPROXIMATELY 45 CENTRAL FLORIDA ADULTS ANNUALLY. THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN ALSO PROVIDES FULL-SERVICE CATERING TO GENERATE REVENUE THAT SUPPORTS THE CULINARY PROGRAM, ALLOWING STUDENTS TO ATTEND CLASSES AT NO COST TO THEM. ADDITIONALLY, THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN PREPARED AND DELIVERED OVER 2.359 MILLION MEALS TO THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY AS FOLLOWS: 896,832 MEALS TO NON-PROGRAM COMMUNITY PARTNERS SERVING CHILDREN. 1,032,396 MEALS TO SENIORS AND HOUSEHOLDS. 515,380 MEALS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTERS. 196,541MEALS TO CHILDREN'S SUMMER PROGRAM SITES. 284,105 MEALS TO AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM CENTERS.IT ALSO MANAGES A RETAIL FOOD PRODUCT LINE WHICH OFFERS HEALTHY SOUP, HONEY, COOKIES AND LUNCHES THAT ARE SOLD ONLINE AND AT BOUTIQUE SHOPS AND OTHER RETAIL OUTLETS. PROCEEDS HELP SUPPORT THE CULINARY PROGRAM.

RETAIL RESCUE: A FOOD RESCUE PROGRAM WHERE OUR TEAM PICKS UP NUTRITIOUS PERISHABLE AND NON-PERISHABLE FOOD PRODUCTS IN REFRIGERATED VEHICLES MONDAY-FRIDAY FROM OVER 470 DIFFERENT RETAIL STORE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE FOOD IS THEN BROUGHT BACK TO OUR FACILITIES AND INSPECTED FOR QUALITY AND SAFETY. ONCE THE PRODUCTS ARE APPROVED BY ON-SITE TRAINING PROFESSIONALS AT THE FOOD BANK, IT IS DISTRIBUTED EITHER AT NO-COST, OR AT A VERY MINIMAL COST TO MORE THAN 600 SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK MEMBER AGENCIES WHO IN-TURN DISTRIBUTE TO CLIENTS. THE GROCERY ALLIANCE PROGRAM DISTRIBUTED 33,184,709 POUNDS OF FOOD THAT PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 27,653,924 MEALS.

KIDS CAFE: A HEALTHY MEAL SERVICE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FOOD EXCLUSIVELY TO NEEDY CHILDREN DURING AFTER SCHOOL HOURS AT LEAST 4 TIMES PER WEEK. 28 KIDS CAFES SITES IN 5 COUNTIES SERVED 223,824 MEALS IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING A SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE SITE FOR CHILDREN WITH NUTRITION EDUCATION AND ACTIVITIES. FRESH AND NUTRITIOUS MEALS FROM OUR COMMUNITY KITCHEN ARE PREPARED AND DELIVERED DAILY DURING THE COUNTY ACADEMIC YEAR. DONATED FOOD ALSO HELPS SUPPORT KIDS CAFES AT 3 LOCATIONS THAT PREPARE THEIR OWN MEALS.BENEFITS CONNECTION IS A SNAP (FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS) OUTREACH PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO EDUCATE AND ASSIST POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM. OUR SPECIALISTS GO INTO THE COMMUNITY, TO OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, LIBRARIES AND TO COMMUNITY EVENTS, WITH LAPTOP COMPUTERS AND SCANNERS TO ASSIST POTENTIAL APPLICANTS WHO LACK ACCESS TO A COMPUTER OR SKILLS TO NAVIGATE AN ONLINE APPLICATION, THOSE WITH TRANSPORTATION OR MOBILITY CHALLENGES, MISINFORMED ON ELIGIBILITY FACTORS (THEY THINK THEY DO NOT QUALIFY), AND THOSE WITH LITERACY AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS. LAST FISCAL YEAR, THE TEAM PROCESSED 5,049 APPLICATIONS IN (ORANGE, BREVARD, OSEOLA, SEMINOLE,VOLUSIA, AND LAKE) COUNTIES RESULTING IN $1,096,690 ANNUALIZED FOOD ASSISTANCE BENEFITS.BRING HOPE HOME: SECOND HARVEST'S BRING HOPE HOME GROCERY DELIVERY PROGRAM DELIVERS HEALTHY FOOD ITEMS TO SENIORS,VETERANS, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS FOODS IN A TRADITIONAL WAY DUE TO TRANSPORATION AND/OR HEALTH CONDITIONS. BHH SERVES THE FOOD BANK'S SIX COUNTY SERVICE AREA, INCLUDING ORANGE, OSCEOLA, LAKE, SEMINOLE, VOLUSIA AND BREVARD COUNTY. MEMBERS RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTAL PERISHABLE AND NONPERISHABLE GROCERY ITEMS TWICE PER MONTH FOR UP TO 90 DAYS. IF CONTINUED SERVICES ARE NEEDED MEMBERS CAN UPDATE THEIR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND REMAIN IN THE PROGRAM. IN FY 21/22 3,874 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED, EQUATING 709,500 MEALS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.BITES CAMERA ACTION: THIS SPECIALTY PROGRAM DELIVERS FOOD BOXES AND FRESH PRODUCE TO 90+ VULNERABLE COMMUNITY SITES REACHING LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, VETERANS, SENIORS AND ADULTS. COLLECTIVELY, 294,569 POUNDS OF FOOD WERE DISTRIBUTED WHICH PROVIDED 245,474 MEALS.SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM: PROMOTES A COMMUNITY-CENTERED, STIGMA-FREE APPROACH TO INCREASING FOOD ACCESS AMONG STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HUNGER. IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, OUR MODEL EMPHASIZES STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOL-BASED MARKET OPERATIONS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2017, THE SECOND HARVEST SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM HAS SERVED OVER 2.2 MILLION MEALS TOSTUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ACROSS 77 PARTNER SITES IN SIX COUNTIES THROUGHOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH THREE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM MODELS (KIDS PACKS, SCHOOL MARKETS, AND FRESH MARKETS).SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM: PROVIDES HEALTHY BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES TO CHILDREN IN LOW-INCOME AREAS DURING SUMMER RECESS WHEN SCHOOL CAFTERIAS ARE CLOSED. LAST YEAR 149,473 MEALS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AT 76 SITES IN 5 COUNTIES. HEALTH & HUNGER: SECOND HARVEST IS TAKING A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO INFLUENCE THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. WE ARE UTILIZING MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO HELP FOOD INSECURE PEOPLE PREVENT AND MANAGE DIET-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASE UTILIZING OUR NETWORK OF PANTRIES AND HOME DELIVERED GROCERY BOXES. TO COMPLETE THIS WORK, SECOND HARVEST CONVENES THE HEALTH & HUNGER TASK FORCE, A COALITION OF MORE THAN 30 LOCAL NONPROFIT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, NUTRITION AND HEALTH-FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS TO LEARN HOW THE FOOD BANK CAN COME ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS TO MEASURABLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS BY USING FOOD AS MEDICINE. WE SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD PANTRIES IN HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, AS WELL AS DISTRIBUTION OF HEALTHY FOOD BOXES FOR PATIENTS REFERRED FROM HOSPITALS AND CLINICS THAT PARTICIPATE IN "FOOD IS MEDICINE" PILOT PROGRAMS WITH SHFB. THROUGH CAPACITY-BUILDING EFFORTS, PARTNER PANTRIES CAN TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE HEALTH OF THEIR CLIENTS BY PROVIDING HEALTHIER FOODS AND NUTRITION EDUCATION. IN FY 21/22, 74.3% OF THE FOOD DISTRIBUTED BY SHFB'S PARTNER AGENCIES WERE F2E'S. OUR FOOD IS MEDICINE PILOTS UTILIZE BOTH HOSPITAL/CLINIC PANTRIES AS HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS POINTS AS WELL AS HOME DELIVERY THROUGH SHFB'S BRING HOPE HOME PROGRAM. NUTRITION EDUCATION IS ALSO A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR HEALTH AND HUNGER WORK AND HAS TAKEN MANY FORMS THAT INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO COOKING DEMOS, DIRECT EDUCATION LESSONS, PAPER RESOURCES, RECIPE BOOKS, AND SINCE THE PANDEMIC HAS GONE VIRTUAL, ALLOWING THE FOOD BANK TO REACH MORE PANTRIES AND CLIENTS THAN EVER BEFORE.