Feeding South Florida is the lead food bank for the four southernmost counties of Florida, a region of about six million people that runs from Palm Beach through Fort Lauderdale and Miami down to the Keys. It works through more than 300 partner agencies plus its own mobile pantry routes, and in recent years it has distributed well over 100 million pounds of food annually. Paco Vélez has led it as President and CEO since 2012. The headquarters is in Pembroke Park.
Feeding South Florida sources food at scale and distributes it through more than 300 partner agencies, supplemented by its own mobile pantries that drive into neighborhoods with few fixed sites. Under Paco Vélez the volume of food has grown several times over, from around 29 million pounds in 2012 to well over 100 million pounds today. The organization also runs benefits-enrollment and other services aimed at the causes of food insecurity.
Paco Vélez has been President and CEO since April 2012, arriving from a long tenure at the San Antonio Food Bank. His years have been defined by rapid growth in distribution and by repeated hurricane responses, since South Florida sits squarely in the storm track and the food bank becomes a disaster-relief operation when one lands.
The service area is the four southernmost Florida counties: Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe (the Keys). It is a region of roughly six million people where the cost of housing is the central driver of food insecurity. Plenty of people who hold jobs still cannot cover rent and groceries in the same month, which is the gap the food bank fills.
Yes. Feeding South Florida is a 501(c)(3) and a member of both Feeding America and the statewide Feeding Florida network. It reports distributing food worth far more than its operating budget, a reflection of how much of its supply is donated. Donors can review its filings through GuideStar and Charity Navigator.
Donations and volunteer shifts run through feedingsouthflorida.org. Volunteers sort and pack food and help at mobile distributions, and cash gifts produce the most meals because of bulk buying and donated product.
Florida is divided among regional food banks under the Feeding Florida umbrella. Feeding South Florida covers the southeast, Second Harvest of Central Florida covers the Orlando region, and Feeding Tampa Bay covers the Gulf Coast around Tampa. For anyone in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, or the Keys, Feeding South Florida is the lead organization.
300+ agencies across four counties.
Direct distributions into neighborhoods with few fixed sites.
Surge food relief when hurricanes strike South Florida.
Help eligible residents apply for SNAP and other support.
Sources: Feeding South Florida website (feedingsouthflorida.org), GuideStar (EIN 59-2097520), and published interviews documenting growth in distribution under Paco Vélez. We are not affiliated with Feeding South Florida and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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