Nonprofit seeks community’s help in restocking
Staff Reports
Hope Community Center is facing a shortage in its emergency food pantry due to various economic factors and is hosting a food drive to help replenish supplies.
The pantry, which launched this past January, assists immigrants and community members who are financially struggling.
With the food drive, Hope Community Center is asking the community and businesses to donate much-needed items, which may be brought to the nonprofit’s campus located at 1016 N. Park Avenue, Apopka.
Necessary items requested are as follows: white flour, Mazeca corn flour, other corn flour (not cornmeal), plain white rice, pre-packaged tortillas, dried pasta (any kind), cereal boxes (regular size and packages of small boxes), pancake mix, pancake syrup, canned tuna fish, canned chicken, peanut butter, dried and canned beans (pinto beans and black beans), snack bars/granola bars, shelf–stable milk, baby formula and diapers (all sizes) and baby food.
In addition, churches, schools, organizations, and individuals may put together a food drive to help Hope Community Center, and may contact the nonprofit to collaborate.
The rising costs of food and federal cuts to aid are among the reasons for the pantry’s food shortage. Hope Community Center has been looking to Second Harvest Food Bank for restock the food pantry before funding was decreased.
“Due to the increasing cost of food, threats of trade wars, and uncertainty in the labor market, low-income communities are facing greater challenges in managing their cost of living. This situation highlights the urgent need to reactivate local food pantries,” Hope Community Center stated in an email. “At the same time, federal cuts to several aid programs have impacted food donations to the pantry. Until recently, Hope relied on support from Second Harvest Food Bank to stock pantry staples. But recent funding cuts have severed this supply line. Hope now faces significantly higher costs to ‘shop’ for food to stock its pantry, putting a strain on its ability to serve families in need.”
The food drive is also taking cash donations at HopeCommUnityCenter.app.neoncrm.com/forms/food-distribution.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida did receive some federal grant money through Orange County in 2022, which was expended last December, said Erica Spence, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida storytelling and communication. However, the nonprofit is waiting for more funds from Orange County to come through this spring, she said.
Second Harvest Food Bank is also having conversations with Hope Community Center about the latter’s incomplete paperwork filing and training for a federal commodities program, which caused Second Harvest to cease sending supplies to their food pantry, Spence said. Once Hope Community Center fulfills its duties in the program, distribution to the pantry will resume, Spence said.
In the meantime, Hope Community Center is welcome to Second Harvest’s limited free and reduced-priced food supplies, Spence said.
Meilyn Santana, Hope Community Center chief of staff, said that her nonprofit has a great relationship with Second Harvest, and Hope does gets money from the organization for staples.
“Unfortunately, Second Harvest hasn’t had grants, but will again in April or May,” Santana said. “But that’s why we’re asking the community for help.”
Santana said Hope can get free supplies from Second Harvest, but they’re not staple food.
“We have been shopping, but the bags are so low; it’s snacks,” Santana said.
Santana said she has never heard of any requirement for training and paperwork for a federal commodities program, but if there is any information available, Hope will welcome it.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with comments from Second Harvest Food Bank and Hope Community Center.
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
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