JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Food assistance could dry up Saturday for millions of people who need it, a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has told Americans that no benefits will be issued on Nov. 1 under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides monthly food benefits to low-income people to help them buy groceries.
Many generous people are now asking how they can help by donating goods to their local food pantry.
Here are some options:
- DESC welcomes food during weekdays by coordinating with food@descjax.org. Bring goods to the basement of the First Presbyterian Church (215 North Ocean Street). Particularly helpful food includes canned meats (tuna, chicken, Spam, ham), chili, beef stew, beans, canned vegetables, fruits and meats, cereal, rice, spaghetti sauce and pasta; soups of all kinds; and peanut butter and jelly.
- Feeding Northeast Florida gets food to where it is needed in Jacksonville and surrounding counties. You can drop off donations at 5245 Old Kings Road at the share floor bay from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. (Paper products, cooking oils, cereal and peanut butter are needed.)
- Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida accepts nonperishable, nonexpired food at 4615 Philips Highway in Jacksonville during business hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 to 11:30 a.m. Friday. No appointment is required. For now, they need diapers and baby formula. Lutheran Social Services has collection barrels if anyone would like to coordinate a food drive for their church, school, workplace or neighborhood and can do pickups for large donations.
- Trinity Rescue Mission accepts food donations — as well as clothing — at 622 West Union St. in Jacksonville. Number 10 cans of vegetables, fruits, chili, beans and other items are preferred. The mission also frequently uses salad dressing, peanut butter, jelly, rice, beans, pasta and gravy mixes. All fresh produce is gladly accepted as long as there is adequate space.
- BEAM in Jacksonville Beach — The Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry — accepts food bank donations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at its center behind the 7 North Thrift Store at 318 7th Ave N. The ministry specifically requests canned fruit, vegetables and peanut butter.
- The Mandarin Food Bank welcomes nonperishable foods any day the food bank is open — 9 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The food bank even accepts front porch drops until dusk most days. The organization needs canned meat (Spam, chili, canned ham and chicken, hash, tuna); spaghetti sauce and pasta; soups of all kinds; peanut butter and jelly; and rice.
Other places to donate food
Here are a few more options for donating food, but be sure to check for the specific days and hours that donations are accepted:
- Catholic Charities Food Pantry (in partnership with Feeding NE Florida), is open at 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays at 1430 Bernita St. in Arlington. The pantry even has a food program wish list on Amazon. To donate food, drop it off Mon, Tues. and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. They want pop top meat pasta, mac & cheese and soup.
- The Salvation Army Food Pantry accepts nonperishable food items at local Salvation Army centers: Jacksonville Citadel Corps and the Jacksonville Social Services, both at 900 W Adams Street. They accept canned goods, pasta and peanut butter. Avoid donating perishable items, expired products or food that is already opened.
- Murray Hill United Methodist Church, 4101 College St., near College and Edgewood Avenue, collects nonperishable items at the church during office hours — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday — or on designated collection days.
- Jewish Family & Community Services-Max Block Food Pantry is open 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6261 Dupont Station Court East, off St. Augustine Road, two blocks from University Boulevard.
- Barnabas Center, at 1303 Jasmine St., Suite 101 in Fernandina Beach, is open 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Friday. The center accepts protein options like canned tuna or chicken as well as fresh or frozen produce, milk and canned goods such as corn and green beans.
- In St. Augustine, The St. Johns Food Pantry at 12 Madeore St. is a volunteer-driven agency that has been serving St. Johns’ hungry since the early 1990s. The food pantry is open 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The pantry’s wish list includes canned fruit, canned vegetables, grape jelly, canned soup, Ramen Noodles and shelf stable milk. To organize a food drive, contact the operation manager at 904-824-2070.
And we don’t want to forget the homeless: Mission House at Jacksonville beach (800 Shetter Ave.) and Sulzbacher Center (611 E. Adams St.) in Downtown Jacksonville are two hubs that need food to serve their clients.