Derrick Chubbs · President and CEO at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.
Photo by Roberto Gonzalez
By Derrick Chubbs, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
In Summary:
Retirees, working parents, and caregivers across Central Florida are increasingly relying on food assistance as incomes fail to keep pace with rising costs. Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida currently distributes enough food for 330,000 meals a day, but warns that unpredictable funding and policy changes make planning difficult. Leaders are urging volunteers and donors to step up as demand continues to grow in 2026.
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Frank and Gloria did everything right. They took their finances seriously – saved money, earned an education, and put their kids through school. But now, retired from their careers as teachers, they find themselves struggling to stretch their income to the end of every month. And they’re not the only ones.
Related: Who gets SNAP benefits to buy groceries and what the government pays for the program – in 5 charts.
You’ll find people like Frank and Gloria in lines at food banks across Central Florida. Retirees. Parents with full-time jobs. Folks who worked hard and earned enough to make ends meet – or used to. Now their income isn’t keeping pace with the cost of living, and they have to decide which necessities they can survive without … which bills they can afford not to pay … and what meals they can skip to make up the difference.
As 2026 gets underway, hunger in Central Florida is in a worse state than it was a year ago. More people are missing meals. Prices are still increasing, as tariffs drive up the retail cost of clothing, groceries, and other essentials. The cost of health insurance is going up – and while the House is passing an extension of subsidies to soften the blow, it will take time to go into effect.
For families who already need help, it’s become that much harder to find food assistance. While many of the SNAP benefits that were revoked last year have been restored, it will take time for families to re-certify. At the same time, the increase in senior work requirements will leave many retired Central Floridians – including family caregivers and those living with health issues – without access to benefits.
At nonprofits like Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, we are working hard to narrow the gap. Second Harvest’s network currently distributes enough food for 330,000 meals a day, and we have the capacity to expand our services to meet the growing need. But we can only distribute as much food as we can source, and we rely heavily on the support of volunteers and donors.
But the real challenge – and one we’ll need to learn to live with – is that we don’t know what’s coming next. The past year of shifting priorities in funding and policy for hunger relief has proven that unpredictability is the only constant. We can’t count on having the same options tomorrow as we do today. All we can do is continue to pursue our mission, day by day, using what resources we have.
As grim as that sounds, it’s worth it – because we are making a difference. We’re making sure neighbors like Frank and Gloria can bring home groceries. We’re expanding service for our meal delivery program for seniors and disabled Central Floridians. We’re partnering with over 80 schools – and counting – through our School Markets program, so all kids can have fresh, nutritious meals at school and at home.
We’ll continue fighting hunger and feeding hope in 2026, but we can’t do it alone. Hunger is with us 365 days a year. The need for volunteer support is at its highest right now, in the first quarter of the new year – and whether you’re delivering meals, sorting donations, or packing grocery boxes, every shift puts food on the tables of neighbors who would otherwise go without.
If you can lend a hand, please do – and don’t wait. Learn more about our mission and volunteer opportunities at www.feedhopenow.org/get-involved.
Derrick Chubbs is President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida (SHFBCF). As the region’s largest emergency food provider, Second Harvest secures and distributes enough food for 330,000 meals a day to more than 800 local nonprofit feeding partners across a seven-county service area. By also investing in job training programs and advocating for access to nutritious foods, SHFBCF is leaning into the root causes of hunger to help transform lives.
Key Points:
- Hunger in Central Florida is worse in early 2026 than it was a year ago.
- Retirees and full-time workers alike are turning to food banks to bridge monthly shortfalls.
- SNAP recertifications and increased senior work requirements are limiting access for some residents.
- Second Harvest distributes 330,000 meals daily through more than 800 nonprofit partners.
- Volunteers and donors are critical as demand peaks in the first quarter of the year.
