JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The largest food bank on the First Coast says there are more mouths to feed than ever before. Feeding Northeast Florida puts food in the hands of 85,000 people a day, but the need is increasing.
They are growing to meet the demand.
CEO and President of Feeding Northeast Florida Susan King says there was already an unmet need and then unemployment rose during the pandemic and inflation hit families.
“They can be your child’s teacher. They can be the drycleaner on the corner," King described. "It can be just about anybody because you know so many people live paycheck to paycheck and we are just one speed bump away from needing help.”
The added stress factors have only made food in the Feeding Northeast Florida warehouse fly off the shelves faster.
“We have seen a tremendous increase in the number of people who are looking for food assistance for the first time ever," King said.
King says it’s been a rollercoaster since 2020 trying to feed everyone who needs it. She says their warehouse simply can’t meet the need so they’re expanding!
“We are literally busting at the seems," King said.
Not for much longer. Their new location is off Old Kings Road and set to open in 2023. It's so large they call it a campus!
It's 121,000 square feet to help with the 25% increase in need since the height of the pandemic. The facility will allow them to double their capacity.
The new campus will also enable them to be more sustainable using solar power and composting.
