About 175,000 Orange County residents will lose SNAP benefits as leaders put out urgent call for help

Orange County leaders are calling on the community and Gov. Ron DeSantis for action as people relying on SNAP could go hungry during the federal government shutdown.

“We are a compassionate community. We come together when we need to during a crisis. And that’s what we’re asking us to do today,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said at a press conference Wednesday. 

About 175,000 Orange County residents — a group that includes senior citizens, veterans, people with disabilities and families with children — receive the emergency food benefits on their prepaid cards to buy fresh food at the grocery store. Now, that help is lapsing for the first time Nov. 1 unless the government shutdown ends or lawmakers allocate money to the program.

Orange County currently gives $5.3 million to Second Harvest Food Bank in Central Florida as well as to other programs to help people in need, but Demings said he plans to ask the county board for an additional $1 million in emergency help during the suspension of SNAP benefits.

Demings also is sending a letter to DeSantis asking for the state to step in and give emergency relief for SNAP recipients.

Other nonprofit leaders urged the community to give money to Second Harvest or United Way or donate food to the food bank.

Eric Gray, the executive Director at Christian Service Center for the Homeless, compared the level of calls his organization is receiving to a hurricane event.

“I’m a little scared, I’ll be honest … I’m not calling on people to make donations of food. I’m asking you to run a food drive,” Gray said. “This is one of those times. This isn’t good enough to just say we need a can of food that you bring to work. 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. That’s the kind of sense of enormity that we’re feeling right now.”

The helpline 211 fielded more than 1,600 referrals in the past 90 days from people seeking help to put food on the table, said Kelly Astro, Senior Vice President at Heart of Florida United Way.

“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. “So to anyone who might be worried about putting food on the table or finding support, you are not alone.”

People who need help are urged to go online at Second Harvest’s website and click “find help” to find a food pantry. In addition, people can call or text 211 or visit  211.org to find resources.