Hunger can — and does — exist amid plenty. Nationally, more than 49 million Americans have trouble regularly putting nutritious food on the table. In addition, despite its wealth, more than 200,000 residents in Palm Beach County struggle with hunger. 52,580 of these residents are children who do not have enough to eat on a daily basis.*
In our communities, individuals or families that do not want to share with their neighbors the fact that they are struggling economically often hide hunger. Sometimes hunger hides behind doors of nice houses with mortgages in default, or the electric is turned off, or all the income going to housing costs, leaving little or no money for food. Sometimes it hides behind the stoic faces of parents or grandparents who skip meals to protect their children or grandchildren from hunger. It goes unseen by those not looking for it. Often students only eat while they are at school because they do not have food at home. There are 91,027 students that have qualified for free and reduced lunch which is 51.6 percent of the students enrolled in PB Public Schools (not including charter schools). Due to the growing number of children facing food insecurities, United Way of Palm Beach County has partnered with providers to provide 8,400 children with weekend food backpacks and nearly 21,000 meals served through the Mobile Breakspot food program in the Glades area.
*Gundersen, C., M. Hake, A. Dewey, E. Engelhard (2021). The Impact of the Coronavirus on Food Insecurity in 2020 & 2021, Update March 2021 [Data file and FAQ]. Available from Feeding America: research@feedingamerica.org.
What are we doing as a community to change this?
To identify solutions, United Way of Palm Beach County and the administrative leadership at Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners collaborated to develop and implement the Palm Beach County Hunger Relief Plan.
United Way and the County led the creation of the plan, and it is a major collaborative partnership with more than 60 agencies in our community.
Together, we are fighting hunger! All of us, working together towards the greater good of this community – for children whose main source of food is school meal programs, for seniors who are forced to choose between groceries and medication, for parents who work two jobs and still cannot afford to feed their families and others.
Join the fight to help end hunger today by contacting United Way of Palm Beach County’s Hunger Relief Team at HungerRelief@UnitedWayPBC.org
Click to learn more about our work in: Childhood Hunger | Senior Hunger | The Glades | Infrastructure
Palm Beach County Food Finder Map
The Palm Beach County Food Finder was created in response to COVID-19 in order to connect individuals seeking food resources to sites near them in a quick and accessible way. Through collaboration with several community partners including Palm Beach County, the School District of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County Food Bank, Feeding South Florida, FLIPANY, Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, Area Agency on Aging Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Living Hungry, and Hospitality Helpings Hands, information on sites offering food services was collected and uploaded to the Palm Beach County Food Finder map. United Way of Palm Beach County will update this resource weekly. If you would like to include your organization’s resources on the map, please fill out this Food Finder Interest Form.
Meals for Children 18 and Under – These sites offer meals for children ages 18 and under.
Food for Babies – These sites offer baby formula and baby food.
Food Pantries – These sites offer groceries such as canned goods, produce, and protein products.
Soup Kitchens – These sites offer hot meals for individuals to take with them.
Family Take Out Meals – These sites offer drive through hot meals for everyone in the car.
Affordable Produce – These sites offer affordable produce boxes.
Hunger Relief Monthly Updates:
View the most recent Hunger Relief Update: November 2022
For all previous updates, please visit this page.
Click here to sign up for future Hunger Relief updates!
Information and Resources:
- MacKenzie Scott Gift Update – Hunger Relief Plan
- SNAP Information:
- “What is SNAP?” Video
- Florida Department of Children and Families: Apply for federal Food Assistance Programs.
- 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast: Get connected with community resources and referrals.
- Palm Beach County Food Bank: Find food pantry locations near you.
- SNAP Calculator: Find out if you are eligible for help buying food.
- WIC Information: Pregnant? Have a baby? WIC may be right for you.
- WIC Overview video: Learn about WIC and find a local WIC office near you.
- WIC Q&A
- Healthy Food Healthy Children Webinar
- This webinar held in May 2019 showcased resources in our community for those that serve children ages 0-4. Panelists included Palm Beach County Youth Services, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, FLIPANY, Family Central, and WIC.
- Palm Beach County Hunger Relief Plan
- Hunger Relief Annual Reports
- Nonprofits First Rising Leaders 2017 – Hunger Relief Video
- United Way of Palm Beach County, in partnership with Palm Beach County, Florida Department of Health, and 2-1-1, developed a Public Service Announcement (PSA) tool to educate the community about key information regarding COVID-19 and connect them with resources offered in the County. The PSA is available in English, Spanish, and Creole and can be used widely by organizations such as businesses, food distribution sites, and social service agencies.
Thank You to Our Generous Funders and Partners!
