Foundation deploys $150,000 to help feed local families

A local foundation is stepping up to help support the nearly 97,000 Pinellas County residents who rely on federal food benefits to afford groceries. 

Pinellas Community Foundation (PCF) announced Saturday that it is awarding $150,000 for emergency food assistance to offset an ongoing surge in demand. Nine county food banks and pantries will receive the much-needed funding. 

The Trump administration said Monday that it would provide only half of the typical food assistance benefits for November amid a historic government shutdown. However, the timing of already delayed payments remains a mystery. 

“We’ve been watching this for a while and, honestly, hoping it wouldn’t be needed,” said Duggan Cooley, CEO of PCF. “But with all the uncertainty that’s going on and seeing what’s happening with food banks and food pantries right now, help is needed. There’s no question about it.” 

Roughly 10% of Pinellas County’s population receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Nearly 13% of Florida residents – 2.94 million people – receive what is colloquially known as food stamps. 

The state’s average monthly payment is $181.97, about $6 less than the national rate. Households must generally earn less than the federal poverty line, which is $32,150 for a family of four, to qualify. 

Two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to, at a minimum, utilize a $4.65 billion contingency fund Friday and temporarily support the program. SNAP uncertainty, which took another turn Tuesday, is driving local demand for food assistance. 

“We’re hearing from our partners that even if stuff is resolved tomorrow, and the government reopens, that it takes a while for people to adjust,” Cooley said. “And these things don’t just turn around quickly.”

PCF’s announcement states that even brief disruptions can send thousands of families searching for food programs. The shutdown began Oct. 1, and local federal employees and contractors can face immediate impacts when paychecks pause. 

Cooley noted that area food banks and pantries were already navigating an increasing demand due to the “continued high cost of living.” While many local organizations are trying to bridge assistance gaps, SNAP recipients cannot receive special pricing at grocery stores. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibited grocery stores from offering discounts to SNAP families Sunday. Those receiving food assistance must pay “the same prices and on the same terms and conditions” as their exponentially higher-earning counterparts. 

President Donald Trump has also seemingly contradicted his administration’s court filing that pledged to pay half of SNAP benefits. In a social media post Tuesday, he wrote that impoverished families would not receive food assistance until “the Radical Left Democrats open up the government, which they can easily do, and not before.” 

Cooley said PCF has strategic reserves, primarily through private donations, that provide funding flexibility during emergencies. Deploying the $150,000 will not detract from typical grant cycles. 

“But no amount of private philanthropy can completely cover the investments that come from the government,” Cooley continued. “We can step up in cases like this. We can’t continue to sustain that month after month or year after year.” 

PCF considered geography, size and mission when selecting organizations to strengthen the local food network. For example, the St. Petersburg Free Clinic and Hope Villages of America operate distribution hubs that support other nonprofits. 

Additional awardees include:

•  FEAST Food Pantry: A north Pinellas access point that serves families through a robust volunteer network. 
• Gathering of Women: A South Pinellas provider that focuses on homebound seniors and high-need neighborhoods. 
• Florida Dream Center: A centrally located nonprofit that provides mobile outreach and neighborhood-based delivery services for working families. 
• Dunedin Cares: Primarily a volunteer pantry that is expanding to meet increased demand. 
• Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center: A family resource hub that offers a pantry and wraparound support. 
• Oldsmar Cares: A community pantry that serves working families and seniors in northeast Pinellas. 

Awardees will use the funding according to local circumstances, including to purchase food and expand hours. Cooley said PCF is distributing 80% of the emergency funding now and is waiting to see “where we might have missed things in the community” before expending the remaining 20%. 

“Our hope also is that in doing this, other people see that it’s possible to give help,” Cooley said. “Anything we can do to encourage people to step up – to volunteer, to donate food or contribute funds directly to organizations that are doing this work in the community – is appreciated.

“We’ve seen an outpouring of generosity. But if anyone’s sitting on the sidelines, I would highly encourage them, if they can, to step up and help their neighbors through any of these organizations. They’re doing incredible work.”