The nearly 3 million Floridians who rely on federal food assistance will do without if the federal government shutdown continues through tomorrow.
Local efforts to bridge that food gap have cropped up.
Community Cooperative is collaborating with the Boys & Girls Club of Lee County to host two new pop-up mobile food pantries to provide emergency groceries to those in need.
The first is Friday, Nov. 7 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Boys and Girls Club in the Renaissance Preserve Community, 1633 Joust St., Fort Myers. The second is Monday, Nov. 10 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club a1900 Park Meadows Drive, Fort Myers.
No registration is required but attendees must bring a government-issued ID to receive assistance.
Southwest Florida outlets of Chicken Salad Chick restaurants are offering free kids’ meals for children 12 and younger from now until SNAP benefits are restored. Restaurants are located in Fort Myers, Estero and Port Charlotte.
Also offering free kids' meals is Florida Boy Burger restaurants in Fort Myers and Cape Coral.
Indivisible, one of the national organizers of No Kings rallies, is urging people to donate money or food to local food banks and shelters or to organize food drives of their own. Information about this is available at NoKings.org/alliance.
Southwest Floridians can also find food by accessing Harry Chapin Food Bank’s Facebook page.
Florida has the fourth largest SNAP enrollment nationwide, following California, Texas, and New York. Nationwide, 41.7 million people rely on SNAP benefits, August 2025 data show.
SNAP provides nutritional support for low-income seniors, people with disabilities living on fixed incomes, and other individuals and families with low incomes. Although funded by the federal government, SNAP in Florida is administered by the Department of Children and Families’ Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency, which is responsible for determining eligibility.
Florida Policy Institute senior policy analyst Cindy Huddleston told the Florida Phoenix that more than 70% of Florida SNAP beneficiaries are children, seniors, and people with disabilities. But the cuts impact more than families in need.
“But it also affects the bottom line of thousands of small businesses in Florida where SNAP participants shop,” Huddleston said.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
