Nourishing Our Community Through Collective Efforts: July 2023 Hunger Relief Update
Summer BreakSpot
Free Meals for Kids 18 and Under!
School is out, but hunger doesn’t take a summer break. This summer, Florida kids and teens ages 18 and under can get free, healthy meals at Summer Food Service Program. Most listed sites are “open,” meaning no registration or paperwork is needed to receive a meal. Kids simply arrive at the site during the designated hours and meals are served! Locations include churches, schools, parks, libraries, and more. From Pensacola to the Keys, there are over 3,000 meal sites serving up nutritious food this summer.
There are three ways to locate a site near you:
- Browse the Interactive Map
- Dial 2-1-1
- Text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304
Locations may serve breakfast, lunch/supper, snacks, or a combination. Use the interactive map to check which meal type is available at a specific site, and which days of the week each site is open. For Outreach Resources to promote Summer BreakSpot, visit summerbreakspot.org.
Summer Book Drive
Food Programs
“What is WIC?” Downloadable Videos: The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program caters to pregnant women, women after giving birth/postpartum, new and breastfeeding mothers, infants, and children under five who fulfill the income requirements. “What is WIC?” videos are available for download in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese to help inform residents of the WIC program and its benefits. We encourage our partners to share these videos widely among their networks, including clients, neighbors, and professional partners. The videos are ideal for showing in waiting rooms, attaching to digital newsletters, or sending directly to interested residents. Please click here to access the videos. To schedule an appointment, contact the Florida WIC Department at 1-800-342-3556. Please click here to look at a list of things to bring for your appointment.
Share Your Story About SNAP/GusNIP: The American Heart Association is advocating for critical nutrition and feeding programs in the 2023 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is a comprehensive multi-year federal bill that addresses nutrition and agricultural policy issues. It is typically renewed every five years; the current authorization expires September 30, 2023. If you have experience with SNAP and GusNIP, their most important and critical asks need your voice! Please click here to fill out a short form to share your story.
Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Extension Outreach Flyer: Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies (HMHB) Coalition of Palm Beach County has created an outreach flyer encouraging postpartum women who had Medicaid during their pregnancy to contact HMHB with questions and to make an appointment. Please click here to access the flyer.
DCF Update – 2023 Summer P-EBT: The Florida Dept. of Children and Families announced on Facebook that they would submit a plan to administer a 2023 Summer Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program (P-EBT). Details about DCF’s plan have not been released. Eligibility for 2023 Summer P-EBT will be tied to free or reduced price school meal eligibility. It will be important that families with eligible children who have not applied for or been directly certified for free or reduced meals take the necessary steps to receive P-EBT. School children who attended a school that participated in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Special Provisions 2 or 3 in school year 2022-2023 will be covered. The Florida Policy Institute (FPI) will update you as more details about the 2023 Summer P-EBT become available.
Nourishing Communities – How SNAP Became Florida’s Most Effective Anti-Hunger Program: While the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has grown to be one of the nation’s most powerful poverty reduction tools, SNAP’s effectiveness is the culmination of roughly 100 years of bipartisan support and growing pains, as various roadblocks impeded earlier food assistance programs from reaching their full potential in fighting food insecurity. Nevertheless, there is still work to be done around SNAP on the state level to reverse course on policies that have led to inequitable access to the program. Learn more about SNAP in Florida by reading Florida Policy Institute’s report.
Food Resources
Palm Beach County Senior Centers: The Palm Beach County Community Services Department’s Division of Senior and Veteran Services invites local seniors and veterans aged 60 and older to participate in complimentary breakfast and lunch options at various sites throughout the county. The program provides nutritious meals to eligible seniors at nutrition sites, senior centers, and other group settings. The congregate meal program allows older adults to socialize with other seniors at the meal sites. For a complete list of meal times and locations, click here.
SNAP Online Purchasing Now Available in All 50 States: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that, in partnership with states, territories, and retailers across the country, online purchasing using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is now available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia! This expansion represents a major milestone in the history of SNAP and continues to provide greater convenience and access to healthy food options for tens of millions of Americans. Online shopping is a convenient, safe, secure way to shop for food and quickly becoming a vital resource for nutrition security and food access. Major retailers nationwide continue to make online SNAP purchasing available for EBT card holders. For more information about the program and the full list of retailers approved to provide SNAP online purchasing, visit the SNAP Online webpage. The USDA also recommends visiting your local retailer’s website to find out whether grocery delivery is available for your location.
mRelief: Florida Impact to End Hunger shared SNAP enrollment resources from friends at the national nonprofit, mRelief. mRelief built the first ever SNAP eligibility screener accessible by mobile phone and they now partner with community organizations across the state of Florida to create a state-compliant and user-friendly enrollment process to connect our neighbors in need to crucial benefits that they deserve. Last year 8,312 Floridians chose to apply for SNAP with one of mRelief’s community-based enrollment partners or on their own via mRelief’s simplified application. If you’d like to partner with them to connect your community to a more accessible route to SNAP benefits, you can fill out their Community Partner Intake form.
SNAP Calculator: Find out if you may be eligible for SNAP and an estimated amount of benefits you could receive. Use the SNAP Calculator as a quick screening tool to determine possible eligibility for food assistance. The calculator was previously available in English and Spanish and has been recently updated to include Haitian Creole! Access the SNAP calculator here. Florida Policy Institute (FPI) urges you to apply for SNAP regardless of what the calculator says. To do so please submit an application to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) at this link.
Providers App: Propel, a mission-driven financial technology company, has launched Providers, an application that helps low-income families navigate government benefits and monitor skimming. If you’ve been a victim of benefits theft, report it immediately to your case worker and law enforcement. Currently, more than five million SNAP (food stamp) participants use Fresh EBT monthly to manage their benefits. The app is available on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. For more information, click here.
MEANS (Matching Excess And Needs for Stability) Database: MEANS (Matching Excess And Needs for Stability) Database is an online platform connecting those with excess food, like grocery stores, co-ops, and restaurants, with nearby emergency food providers who serve those in need. Their organization focuses on reducing food waste and rerouting that food to feed people facing food insecurity. To learn more, please visit their website.
Shop Simple with MyPlate: Shopping for healthy foods doesn’t have to break the bank. This nifty tool allows you to find savings in your area and discover new ways to prepare budget-friendly foods. It works by entering your zip code to find rewards and stores that accept SNAP EBT near you. To find out more, please click here.
United Way of Palm Beach County (UWPBC) Food Finder Map: The best way to access emergency food is through your local food pantry. UWPBC’s Food Finder Map is updated weekly and has been viewed over 250,000 times! Anyone looking for food or helping others find food is encouraged to look up locations on the map. You can also get help finding food locations by calling 2-1-1.
A robust food pantry system is the best way to ensure people can access emergency food. Pantries rely mainly on food from local food banks and other donations. Inflation and the end of many COVID-era food programs have decreased contributions and food available through the emergency food system. You can learn how to support your local food bank and pantry system through food donations here.
Partner Spotlight
Federation of Families of Florida, Inc.
Federation of Families of Florida, Inc., provides services that inform, educate, train, and support individuals, children, and families at-risk, or who have emotional or behavioral needs. Additionally, Federation of Families of Florida, Inc., brings together the voices and concerns of families and youth impacted by the challenges associated with mental health disorders.
As a family-run agency, Federation of Families of Florida, Inc., focuses on the strength of the family unit. When a young person struggles with a condition that many may not understand, counseling and support groups can make a big difference. Moreover, Federation of Families of Florida, Inc., implements workshops and group sessions, which give parents and guardians the skillset they need to help a young person struggling with mental illness. As a natural support partner for youth and families, the Federation offers wraparound, food for families and transportation as part of it’s network of services.
With 23 years of experience in mental health systems of care transformation work, Founder and CEO, C. Veree Jenkins, has been able to sustain and grow this work with special interest in the western portion of Palm Beach County, the Glades, including creating the Federation Family Support and Woosah Retreat Garden in South Bay and the BeWell Gathering Place peer center in Belle Glade. Most recently, they opened an office in collaboration with Keys For Life Behavioral Health Services in Palm Beach Gardens to better serve residents on the coast.
To learn more about Federation of Families of Florida, Inc., including their programs, resources, events, etc., please visit their website.
Grant Opportunities
Request for Proposals – Engage Forward 2023-24: Leadership Palm Beach County’s Engage Forward empowers members from the Leadership Palm Beach County Engage program to take active roles in the community through a partnership with local nonprofit agencies. If your nonprofit is chosen, your organization will actively collaborate with Engage class members on a special project to solve issues facing your organization or the community you serve. Learn more about Engage Forward and see past projects here. Go to their website to (1) register for a proposer workshop (required for participation), (2) download the Request for Proposals application, and (3) view answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Applications are due July 7, 2023.
FY 2023 WIC Enrollment via State-Level Referral Data Matching with SNAP and Medicaid: The goal of this request for applications (RFA) is to facilitate data-sharing activities that support targeted outreach and streamlined certification processes aimed at increasing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participation and retention. This RFA will provide up to $20,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding through a one-time cooperative agreement to an external entity that will provide financial, technical, and evaluation support to WIC State agencies to implement referral data matching, with participant consent when required, and outreach efforts. To look at eligibility requirements and deadlines, please click here.
Events
- Nutrition Assistance and the Commercial and Concessional Food Environment Symposium: Join the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) for a virtual symposium highlighting applied economics research into how food and nutritional assistance policies and programs affect resource-limited households’ use of the private and public food distribution channels accessible to them. The Symposium will be held on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, please click here.
- 2023 Back to School PBC! Volunteer & Social: Emerging Leaders are volunteering at the annual Back to School PBC! event to provide students with school supplies for the new year. This year’s event will serve over 10,000 students throughout Palm Beach County. The event will be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on Saturday, July 22, 2023, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please click here for more information and to register.
- “Climate Smart Floridians” Is Back!: Make a big impact in the world through a course of study that provides a practical, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary foundation for everyone. Sign up and enhance your skill set in climate change, home energy, renewable energy, yards, food, water, green building, transportation, and consumption focusing on West Palm Beach issues and impacts. The Food Education Session is on Monday, July 24, 2023. For more information and registration details, please click here.
- Summer Reading Program 2023 by PBC Library: Participate in the Summer Reading Program 2023 from June 5 to July 28 by completing a Little Learner Log or BINGO card, available at one of the PBC Library service desks. Your entry will make you eligible for one completion prize (while supplies last) and an entry into a grand prize drawing. Grand prize winners will be selected after Friday, July 28, 2023.
- Learn About Food as Medicine: Join E-RoadMap on the 2nd & 4th Saturdays of every month throughout 2023! Enjoy a wellness workshop from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. exploring healthy cooking, nutrition education, gardening, fitness, and more. All events are free. To learn more and sign up for workshops, please click here.
Other News
- Hurricane or Other Disaster Information and Resources: Be prepared! We encourage all individuals, families, organizations, and businesses to take stock, plan, and get prepared. 211 gathers information for our 211 Resource Specialists to share with callers, and for the community in general to be centrally located on our website pages that can be accessed at 211Hurricane.org. If you have information on preparation or recovery services or resources pre or post-hurricane or other disasters please email 211: 211Disaster@211pbtc.org.
- Water Safety: With summer quickly approaching and temperatures rising, many families will be looking to cool off at beaches, lakes, and pools. It’s important to remember that a fun day in the water can quickly become a tragedy if proper safety precautions are not taken. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for Florida children between 1 and 4. However, according to Palm Beach County Medical Examiner records and the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, seniors have the highest drowning rate in Palm Beach County. Water safety should be taken seriously by all age groups to prevent any accidents. Please click here for water safety information from the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County. Stay safe this summer!
- Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) Future Trends
- More Young Adults are Using Food Pantries: Food pantries have been growing significantly as a resource for people under 25, the group most likely to be ALICE or to live in poverty in all United For ALICE partner states. Reports consistently find higher rates of food insecurity among college students. In response, university-affiliated food pantries rose from four in 2008 to 121 in 2014, and expansion continues across the country. To find out more, click here.
- As the U.S. Population Ages, the Number of Food-Insecure Seniors (65+) is Increasing: Due to financial hardships and aging adults, the number of food-insecure seniors more than doubled from 2001 to 2016, to 4.9 million. If this trend continues at the current rate, as expected, there will be more than 8 million food-insecure seniors by 2050. To find out more, click here. For Florida-specific data on ALICE individuals, please click here.
- Solve Picky Eating: Picky eating is prevalent, particularly for toddlers and preschoolers, perhaps, even with adolescents. Feeding toddlers and kids is challenging, but some resources and tips could help! Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding. Visit the Kids Eat in Color website for more help and information on child nutrition and feeding. Click here for tips to solve picky eating, and click here for ideas on how to talk to kids about food.
- Medically Tailored Meals Could Save U.S. Nearly $13.6 Billion Per Year: Adopting more programs that make and deliver medically tailored meals to people with severe, diet-sensitive diseases could result not only in improved health outcomes in the form of fewer hospitalizations nationally but in a net cost savings of approximately $13.6 billion each year, according to new research from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Medically tailored meals (MTMs) are healthy, home-delivered meals customized and fully prepared for individuals living with advanced illnesses, including diabetes, heart failure, end-stage renal disease, HIV, and cancer. To learn more, please click here.
Job Opportunities
- United Way of Palm Beach County (UWPBC) Vice President of Hunger Relief: UWPBC is looking for a Vice President of Hunger Relief. The person appointed to this role would lead the continued implementation and collective impact of Palm Beach County’s Hunger Relief Strategic Plan which was originally adopted in 2015 to fight hunger and food insecurity. Please click here to find out more and to apply. Please click here to see our other current job openings.
- CROS Ministries Gleaning Program Assistant Director: This position is a program assistant to the Director of the Gleaning Program, aiming to feed hungry people through the recovery and distribution of nutritious produce that would otherwise be wasted. This is a full-time position with seasonal schedule fluctuations. Beginning hourly rate is $17-$20, depending on experience. For more details on the position and how to apply, please click here.
Hunger Relief Meetings
We could not do our work without you! The Hunger Relief Initiative uses the Collective Impact Model to implement the Palm Beach County Hunger Relief Plan and make sustainable, long-term changes to reduce hunger in Palm Beach County. We do this work through our Hunger Relief Advisory Council and the Council’s work groups and subcommittees.
The staff regularly convenes the Hunger Relief Advisory Council, six Work Groups, and three Subcommittees. Please send us an email to learn more.
