All Faiths Food Bank is marking Hunger Action Month with a message that hits close to home: about 80,000 people sought help from the organization last year, while more than 220,000 residents across Sarasota and DeSoto counties face hunger. The food bank and its partners provided roughly 18.7 million meals in 2025, including 5.8 million pounds of fresh produce grown and distributed right here in Florida.
Rising costs are making that work harder. President and CEO Nelle Miller says when diesel and fuel prices go up, so does the price of delivering food, buying food, and farming it. The food bank also reported that SNAP applications it handled fell from 1,439 to 1,110 between January and August, with approvals dropping from 1,044 to 637, a decline it attributes to possible eligibility changes, documentation requirements, and household circumstances, though those numbers alone don’t explain the drop. Miller is also watching Florida’s proposed Amendment 3, which would change homestead property tax exemptions and could reduce local government revenue that supports services and charities.
The food bank is already planning for Thanksgiving and winter holiday meals, but year-round need doesn’t pause. If you’d like to help, options include volunteering your time, donating, or simply talking about hunger with your neighbors and your representatives. What’s one small way you could support local families this month?
