More than 3 million food insecure people are living in Florida

Food deserts put thousands of people in Southwest Florida at risk—those are the areas where nutritious, healthy food is hard to come by.

Evelyn Rivers, who lives in Golden Gate City, knows what food insecurity is like.

“When you’re not eating good, you have more medical problems,” said Rivers.

She’s a cancer survivor, and didn’t always know where her next, healthy meal would come from.

She said she would, “work, and work, and work and the money is not enough to pay bills.”

She’s not alone. There are more than three million food insecure people living in Florida.

“It really affects people’s health,” said Stephen Popper, CEO and president at Meals of Hope—a non-profit providing healthy meals to families who otherwise couldn’t afford it.

“The reality is, it’s expensive to eat well,” he said.

Without access to a major grocery store, they have to rely on food pantries. Without them, they might not get fruits and vegetables into their diet.

“[There are] seniors who are making choices between taking their medication or eating,” said Popper.

Or, they’re turning to cheaper junk food, which can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity.

So Popper is joining forces with other food pantries and social service groups in this hunger summit.

They’re working together to reach more hungry people and open new options like a free grocery store for people in Immokalee.

Grace Place in Golden Gate City helped Riveros get back on her feet. Now, she works there helping others in need!

“I was really needy, and thank God I came here and they helped me,” she said.

Working to pay it forward, when so many people can’t afford to pay anything.

The Grace Place Pantry is open Fridays from 1-5 p.m. That will change to Saturdays starting in November.

For a map of the food bank closest to you, click here.