Food for Thought: Local 10, Publix team up again to address rising food insecurity

Mayte Padron, Community Relations Director

Published: July 1, 2024, 11:35 AM

The statistics concerning hunger in Florida are staggering. According to Feeding America, in Florida, 2.9 million people are facing hunger. Of this number, more than 819,000 are children. Breaking this down further, one in eight adults and one in five children in Florida face hunger.

Since 2020, Local 10 and Publix Super Markets have teamed up to address food insecurity in our communities.

Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active and healthy lifestyle. Research shows food insecurity to be associated with a host of negative outcomes for children, including health complications, increased use of emergency department services, the inability to learn and perform well academically, poorer social skills, anxiety and depression. Through our Food For Thought campaign, we raise awareness about the plight of hunger and come alongside local nonprofits to support their efforts to get nutritious meals into the hands of those who need it most.

In the past four years, we’ve stocked school food pantries from the elementary to college levels, provided weekend backpack meals to underserved children, sponsored food drives and planted vegetable gardens.

One of the organizations we’ve collaborated with is Health in the Hood, which creates local food gardens to feed, engage and empower communities in need.

“I always said I started Health in the Hood because I was angry,” said Asha Walker, founder & CEO of Health in the Hood. “I didn’t understand why people who lived a zip code over from me didn’t have access to the same things I have access to.”

In September, during Hunger Action Month, we will be working with more organizations to make healthy food attainable and sustainable for everyone.

If you’d like to find out more or get involved, the list below connects you with some local nonprofits that offer programs to feed families in our community.

If your nonprofit organization provides food services to South Florida families and would like our Food for Thought campaign to know about it, simply email our community relations department at community@local10.com.

Our goal is to connect those who have the means to help with those helping families fight food insecurity every day. Together, we can make a difference.

Covenant House Florida

954-561-5559

https://www.covenanthouse.org/homeless-shelters/ft-lauderdale-florida

Health in the Hood

305-714-2262

Healthinthehood.org

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies of Broward County

954-765-0550

Hmhbbroward.org

Joshua’s Heart Foundation

305-944-4452

joshuasheart.org