ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Hunger is a daily reality for many families in St. Johns County.
Volunteers from a local nonprofit are working to ease that burden by restocking school pantries for families facing food insecurity.
Nearly 10,000 people in St. Johns County, including about 3,900 children, rely on SNAP benefits to eat. With those benefits uncertain, the need for community support is growing.
Volunteers like Dr. Linda Hilton, a U.S. Navy veteran, dedicate their time to helping feed hungry children and families. She and her team visit schools such as Sebastian Middle School to fill pantry shelves with essential food items.
“No kid should go hungry,” Hilton said, emphasizing the importance of their work.
Every first Friday of the month, the nonprofit HUGS Across the County organizes food deliveries to 21 schools across the county. They ask each school pantry what supplies are needed most to ensure they provide the right support.
The county recently approved $200,000 to help restock pantries for November and also suspended utility disconnections to ease financial stress on families.
Part of the money will be used by HUGS to get additional supplies as the organization anticipates more people needing help while SNAP benefits are in doubt.
Commissioner Sarah Arnold, who led the funding initiative, said if SNAP benefits are not restored in November, the county will revisit funding discussions in December.
At Sebastian Middle School, volunteers were met with gratitude as they delivered food and supplies. The nonprofit also maintains a comprehensive list of all food pantries available in the county to help families find resources. You can find that list of resources here.