Feeding South Florida® – the leading hunger-relief organization in South Florida – today announced it received a $400,000 donation from Publix Super Markets Charities to provide home delivered meals to homebound seniors and to increase organizational capacity. Feeding South Florida is currently serving 1.2 million individuals facing food insecurity in South Florida through its network of partner agencies, Mobile FARMacy, choice pantries, home delivery meal program and distributions across its service area.
Feeding South Florida’s Senior Meal Delivery Program aims to increase the health of seniors by addressing the underlying obstacles of access to economic opportunity and nutritious food that fuel poor health outcomes. With Publix Charities’ monetary donation, Feeding South Florida will increase its capacity to serve Miami-Dade County seniors with nutritious or medically tailored meals through its home delivery service.
The monetary donation will also allow Feeding South Florida to invest in a team of fundraising professionals in each of the four counties it serves to help increase the financial resources that the organization needs to ensure long term sustainability, given the current economic landscape. Feeding South Florida will be able to strengthen the inner workings of the organization, ultimately allowing it to increase its service to the community. Publix Charities has given approximately $3,800,000 to Feeding South Florida to date.
“We are incredibly humbled by Publix Super Markets Charities’ generous monetary donation during Hunger Action Month,” said Paco Vélez, president and CEO of Feeding South Florida. “This monetary donation will allow us to put nutritious food on the table for South Florida seniors through our home delivery program and expand our team to meet the unprecedented need of those facing food insecurity in South Florida.”
“Helping provide food to our neighbors in need is at the heart of our philanthropic efforts at Publix,” said Publix CEO Todd Jones. “We’re thankful to Publix Super Markets Charities for their continued support of hunger alleviation efforts in the areas we serve. Their support and our work with food banks throughout the Southeast provide nourishment and better the lives of families and individuals in our communities. We’re proud to do good, together.”
The $400,000 donation from Publix Super Markets Charities to Feeding South Florida is one of several monetary donations made this year to help provide food and other essential support to people facing hunger. In all, Publix Super Markets Charities has donated $10 million to Feeding America partner food banks and other nonprofit partners in 2023.
About Feeding South Florida®
Feeding South Florida is a member of the Feeding America network and is the leading hunger-relief organization serving Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. Providing support for 25 percent of the state’s food insecure population, its mission is to end hunger in South Florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger, and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through innovative programming and education. Feeding South Florida served more than *1.17 million individuals through direct-service programs and a local network of more than 350 nonprofit and community partners. Visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org or call 954-518-1818.
*FY July 2022–June 2023
About Publix Super Markets Charities
George Jenkins, founder of Publix Super Markets and affectionately known as “Mr. George,” believed in giving. From the day he opened his first Publix, he made sure his associates, customers and community were taken care of. In 1966, Mr. George established the Foundation with the vision it would continue giving long after he was gone. Publix Super Markets Charities remains committed to serving the communities in which Publix operates. To learn more, visit www.publixcharities.org.
About Publix Super Markets
Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 250,000 associates, currently operates 1,351 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 26 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business. For more information, visit the company’s newsroom at corporate.publix.com/newsroom.