ORLANDO  |  The lines at Catholic Charities of Central Florida’s eight pantry locations is growing. As the government shutdown continues and the added strain of frozen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds affect families, more families are reaching out to the agency to fill the gap.

Deacon Gary Tester, president of Catholic Charities, recently asked parishes and schools to help them bridge that gap by participating in food collection. Deacon Tester was pleased to find Good Shepherd Parish anticipated the need and was ready with a donation. Bishop Moore Catholic School in Orlando immediately initiated a food drive. And St. Joseph Parish in Orlando encouraged parishioners impacted by curtailed benefits to visit their food pantry. As other schools and parishes step in, Deacon Tester noted these efforts are key to meeting the need.

“I would say here, we’re probably more impacted because our economy is based in large part on tourism,” said Deacon Tester. “Tourism is supported by lower paying jobs. Folks who are working are still reliant on SNAP benefits to help them. So, I suspect we are impacted here more than other areas might be.”

SNAP dates back to the Great Depression and is the government’s largest anti-hunger program. Most recipients are seniors, families with children and people with disabilities. Although there are talks of some funds being restored and payments partially resumed, confusion over who qualifies for the benefits is adding to the crisis.

Helping navigate and anticipate the need are Catholic Charities operations manager Deacon Wilmar Rojas and food ministry manager Juan Vega.

Seeking to allocate the donations coming in from schools and parishes, Deacon Rojas is securing warehouse space. The team has also opened additional appointment slots to accommodate the growing numbers of people asking for help.

“We’ve also received more inquiries for mobile food drops, outside the Catholic scope,” Deacon Rojas said. “We were called to see if we could assist with a mobile drop at the airport for TSA workers. They’re reaching out to us outside our ecosystem.” As the effects of the almost 40-day government shutdown lingers, Deacon Rojas encourages those able to make a cash donation.

“We purchase food at .29 cents a pound, whether it’s a can of tuna or fresh, refrigerated chicken,” he said. “Good luck trying to find that in a grocery store, but we will take anything.” To stretch the funds even further this year, Catholic Charities chose to focus on purchasing “more food for more families,” rather than providing turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Helping him do that is Vega who oversees Catholic Charities’ eight mission markets across the diocese. In Orlando, the pantry was feeding about 300 families per week. After the shutdown, that number went up by an extra 75 -100 families weekly. He expects it to get worse with the pause of SNAP benefits.

The pantry at St. Joseph’s Multi-Ministry Service Center in Lakeland seems to be the hardest hit because of the large homeless population it serves. In October, the center served an additional 330 families.

Vega is a part of the Second Harvest steering committee. “Right now, we want to target everyone together,” said Vega. “Rather than adding hours, we are highlighting who distributes when so we can spread everybody evenly throughout the county,” so no agency is depleted. “We are doing critical purchasing of grains and pasta to stock up so we can serve those who come to our door,” he said adding the agencies are also sharing staff and volunteer manpower to meet demand.

“We just don’t know what we don’t know. I’ve been a big advocate of peace and having everybody stay calm — to control what we have control over so when things happen, we can ‘MacGyver’ ourselves,” he said referring to the TV show featuring a secret agent known for his ingenious solutions to seemingly impossible dilemmas.

There are an estimated half million people impacted by the loss of SNAP benefits in central Florida. Although the numbers are daunting, Vega is confident that together the needs can be met. “We’re assuring we have the food to continue helping our friends and neighbors,” he said.

Leidy Rivas, director of Catholic Charities’ Culture of Life Office, said  the crisis is also impacting single mothers and their children who rely on SNAP benefits for formula and baby food. The Walking with Moms in Need ministry began five years ago but is experiencing recent overarching demands. “The need has grown significantly over the past several months, with increasing numbers of families coming to us for essentials like diapers and formula, highlighting the increasing challenges parents face in caring for their children,” Rivas said. “What began as a ministry serving only families referred by our case managers has expanded to include families who come to us in need of food, financial assistance, or other services we provide.”

She said families are traveling to Orlando from as far as Osceola, Brevard, and Volusia counties. “The stories shared by many of these families are both moving and heartbreaking, reminding us of the ongoing struggles faced by parents striving to care for their little ones,” she said. The loss of SNAP benefits aggravates an already difficult situation for families relying on the assistance so they can use their income to cover rent and pay for diapers and items not covered through government assistance. Rivas said this is why, “nonprofits play a crucial role in filling the gap.”

Her office is in conversation with several parishes across different counties working to expand the Walking with Moms in Need ministries, enabling them to provide ongoing support to families.

Deacon Tester, president of Catholic Charities of Central Florida, said the agency’s role is not unlike that of Simon the Cyrene’s when asked to help Jesus carry the cross.

“We’re reminded the Lord says, if you want to be with Him, pick up your cross daily and follow Him. This is a cross that many families are being asked to carry,” said Deacon Tester. “The beautiful part is, just like Simon was called to carry the cross for the Lord – Catholic Charities and other agencies are here to help carry the cross of food uncertainty and food insecurity – through the generous support of our parishes and schools.”

If you would like to donate to Catholic Charities of Central Florida’s food program, click here. 

Watch a reel of the food pantry service here.

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, November 6, 2025