**Central Florida Food Pantries See Surge in Demand Amid SNAP Pause and Rising Grocery Prices**
ORLANDO, Fla. — With the pause in SNAP benefits, delayed pay for some federal workers, and rising grocery prices, food pantries across Central Florida are experiencing a surge in demand for donations. However, for many people who work during the day, finding time to attend traditional daytime food drives can be challenging.
To address this, the North Orlando Seventh-day Adventist Church has introduced a nighttime food distribution event, aimed at helping families who can’t make it to daytime giveaways.
“I work in the daytime, so it’s perfect,” said Shanoi Reid, a mother of two, who stopped by the event right after getting off work. “I just got off at 5:30 p.m. and came right on over.” Reid shared that her family currently relies on food assistance after temporarily losing SNAP benefits. “I normally get them, but right now I’m not,” she explained. “This was a good resource for us.”
Others waiting in line echoed similar struggles. Many are working full-time jobs yet still do not qualify for government aid. One mother of six noted, “They said I make too much at $18.50 an hour. I work, but I don’t make enough to afford everything.”
Pastor Gregory Carol emphasized the importance of the evening distribution, highlighting its convenience. Families can remain in their vehicles while volunteers load boxes of food directly for them. “Food insecurity hits everybody,” he said. “Not just the unemployed. There are a lot of people who have their regular jobs and still need help.”
Organizers packed about 150 boxes of food for the event but ran out halfway through, prompting them to prepare additional boxes to meet the high demand. Cheryl-Ann Duncan, Director of Community Services, explained that Wednesday evenings were chosen strategically. “We looked at all the other pantries in the area. Most of them were mornings, so we wanted to fill that gap,” she said.
By the end of the night, volunteers reported that more than 200 vehicles passed through the drive-thru line. Organizers expect even greater need at future evening food drives if SNAP benefits remain paused and grocery prices continue to rise.
For families struggling to make ends meet, nighttime distributions are becoming a vital resource in Central Florida’s ongoing effort to combat food insecurity.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/11/06/orlando-church-hosts-nighttime-food-drive-to-meet-growing-demand-amid-rising-costs/
