Pictured: Kyle, a young volunteer, during the large-scale turkey distribution at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in November 2023. Photo by Nancy Guth.

September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about hunger in America and inspire action. Hard as it may be to believe, hunger affects thousands of people in our community, and it's closer than you might think. "Living in a beautiful community like ours, it’s easy to overlook the harsh reality that many among us face. Nearly 200,000 of our neighbors experience food insecurity every day," said Nelle S. Miller, President and CEO of All Faiths Food Bank. "Hunger is not a distant issue—it’s right here at home, perhaps even just a house away."

In Sarasota County, where many families are already struggling financially, the summer months present an additional strain on their resources, exacerbated by rising food costs and cuts in essential support programs. More than half of all county students rely on free and reduced-cost meals at school for the nutrition assistance they need to grow, learn and dream. This summer's ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) Report, released by United Way Suncoast, shows that one-third of working households in Sarasota-Manatee are living paycheck-to-paycheck.And since 2022, food prices have jumped more than 17%, while wages have stagnated. During summer months, Students no longer have access or have reduced access to free and reduced-cost meals at school.  And unfortunately, for the second year in a row, our state has opted out of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT), which would have provided much-needed funds for struggling families to buy groceries. Additionally, for families that haven't applied or don't qualify for the National School Lunch Program, the cost of school meals in Sarasota County Schools has increased 20% for the 2024-2025 school year, with lunches rising to $3.75 in middle and high school, and $2.25 for breakfast.

Last year, nearly 70,000 community members came to All Faiths Food Bank for help and the nonprofit provided more than 18 million meals in 2023. "Here in our community, people are striving to build better lives for themselves and their families, yet they are caught in an economic squeeze that makes it impossible to meet even the most basic needs," Miller said. "These aren't strangers–they’re our nurses, teachers, security guards and truck drivers."

Miller urges the community to join All Faiths Food Bank as it works to end hunger, whether through donations, volunteering or fundraising. "Together, we can deliver the promise of a community where no one goes hungry."

Become a hunger hero by supporting All Faiths Food Bank’s upcoming signature events: Autumn Harvest Dinner on October 5, and their biggest community events, Bowls of Hope, November 10, and Friends FULL of Giving on November 15. 

Pictured: Kyle, a young volunteer, during the large-scale turkey distribution at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in November 2023. Photo by Nancy Guth.