Orange County is pulling resources together to help the 175,000 Orange County residents who would be impacted by the potential suspension of SNAP benefits in light of the federal government shutdown.  

Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings held a Wednesday press conference to address the federal government shutdown, its impact on SNAP benefits – which are poised to not disburse on Saturday, Nov. 1 – and how various organizations and the government are stepping in to fill in the gap. 

Not only does the possible suspension of SNAP benefits affect the 175,000 Orange County residents – over 10% of the county’s estimated 1.5 million people – but it also impacts 500 programs that obtain $90 million in county funding.  

“One thing I like about living in Orange County is that we are a compassionate community,” Demings said. “We come together when we need to during a crisis, and that’s what we’reasking us to do today: as a community, let us come together. We want to make certain that we continue our efforts.” 

Speakers at the press conference include Stephanie Palacios, director of advocacy and government relations at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, Kelly Astro, senior vice president of community impact for United Way Heart of Central Florida, and Eric Gray, executive director of the Christian Service Center for the Homeless.  

County commissioners Nicole Wilson for District 1 and Maribel Gomez Cordero for District 4 were also at the press conference.  

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida receives $5.3 million from the current county budget, Demings said. Last year, the food bank distributed 82 million meals in Central Florida, including 35 million meals to Orange County residents, and it continues to support 395 partner agencies in the county, Palacios said.  

However, for every meal that Second Harvest provides, SNAP provides nine.  

“That is simply a gap that we cannot fill by Saturday [Nov. 1],” Palacios said. “However, with every funding that we get, with every piece of investment that we get from the community, we will source additional food, and we will move that food through our partner agencies.”  

Palacios encouraged the public to visit Second Harvest’s website, FeedHopeNow.org, and use the food finder tool to locate nearby food pantries.  

Astro said anyone seeking help can use Heart of Florida United Way’s 211 information and referral line. The 211 service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a yearand can be translated into a variety of languages. One call to 211 can connect to a network of almost 3,000 verified community resources across Central Florida including food assistance, housing assistance, mental health care and more.  

In the last 90 days, the 211 service made 1,600 food referrals.  

“We know that those numbers are likely to grow as the SNAP benefits change takes effect, which makes partnerships like these and today’s message so important,” Astro said. “Toanyone who might be worried about putting food on the table or finding support, you are not alone. Help is just a call, a text or a click away.” 

Gray didn’t call on the community to donate food, but rather to organize food drives.  

“We need every business in the community, we need every church, every mosque, every temple, every Little League baseball team, every neighborhood association and every Boy Scout and Girl Scout troop to be organizing food drives right now this weekend,” Gray said.  

Demings said he will send a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis asking the state to tap into emergency funds and will also ask the Orange County Board of County Commissioners to budget $1 million for this emergency.