Central Florida homeless outreach group running out of food, desperate for donations
Central Florida food pantry crisis
There is less food on the shelves at a Winter Garden food pantry who is struggling to keep up with demand.
Winter Garden, Fla. – Homeless outreach group Matthew’s Hope says it’s in a pretty dire situation with food donations.
The organization provides resources for homeless people at their Orange County and Brevard County locations.
“When we run out, we run out,” said Scott Billue, Founder and CEO.
Staff say they’re running out a lot. On a Thursday, their homeless food pantry may have cans on shelves. Then, empty spaces on shelves where food was stored.
Staff say they’re getting about ½ the donation volume since the pandemic, but the number of homeless who visit their centers daily has tripled.
Broader data shows homeless numbers continue to rise.
New reports show the number of homeless people on the streets has increased 105% in Orange and Seminole Counties. Brevard County reports a 17% increase.
Matthew’s Hope said it’s been forced to cut how much food it can giveaway this month from their free food pantry.
Staff are also weighing other options if they don’t get enough donations to feed people.
“None are appealing. Cutting outreach from two days to one. Possibly taking mobile teams off the road. All together or once a week,” said Billue.
Staff say in years past, they pulled from their budget to buy food, but they don’t have the wiggle room any longer.
“If the community doesn’t come together, we won’t survive,” said Billue.
If you’re interested in donating, you can visit their Amazon store.
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