HCC Responds to Urgent COVID 19 Need With an Emergency Food Pantry

Apopka, Florida – Hope CommUnity Center is responding to meet the needs of the working poor and immigrant community of Central Florida with an emergency food pantry.

#GivingTuesdayNow is a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 – in addition to the regularly scheduled Dec 1, 2020 #GivingTuesday – as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The day is designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world.

At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together across the globe. Generosity gives everyone power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on. It’s a day for everyone around the world to stand together and give back in all ways, no matter who or where we are.

Hope CommUnity Center is joining the #GivingTuesdayNow campaign to leverage the global exposure and the opportunity to expand our donor base by raising awareness of a population that is neglected: the immigrant workers and families that are living below living wages. The economic impact is unprecedented in our state. Florida’s industry is travel & tourism, as a result, low wage workers find themselves unemployed and without a source of income to feed their families.

At Hope, we have an emergency food pantry that has turned into an oasis for many families needing to feed their loved ones. Unable to keep up with demand, we are finding creative ways to feed families. Our partnerships with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, Chefs for America Orlando, and World Central Kitchen, allowed us to deliver 840 prepped meals and groceries to the Apopka community last week. This week we will continue our efforts and expect to deliver 1,350 meals to the Apopka area.