Feeding Northeast Florida serves 12 counties across Northeast Florida. Its CEO, Susan King, says fear and uncertainty caused by the federal expiration of SNAP benefits has led to a surge in demand. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
Published on November 11, 2025 at 3:06 pm
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The Jacksonville City Council on Wednesday will consider two emergency bills to provide immediate financial support to Feeding Northeast Florida.
Congress’ failure to fund the federal government for the last six weeks has left SNAP, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and others without funding. That inaction has left an estimated 160,000 Duval County residents with less access to food than in October.
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A bill (2025-0858) introduced by Ju’Coby Pittman, Rahman Johnson and Reggie Gaffney Jr. would provide $2 million to Feeding Northeast Florida. It would be funded with $1 million from the city’s general fund reserves and another $1 million from City Council reserves.
A separate bill (2025-0857) introduced by council President Kevin Carrico and council member Ron Salem would provide $200,000 to Feeding Northeast Florida. It would be funded completely through the general fund’s Budget Stabilization Reserve.
The Carrico and Salem bill estimates that 25,000 people can be fed with the $200,000 financial infusion.
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The emergency legislation would require 13 of the 19 members of City Council to pass.
In a conversation with reporters Nov. 5, Feeding Northeast Florida CEO Susan King said financial support is the most effective way to support the group’s work.
“That is because we are a logistics, warehouse, distribution business,” King said. “We buy at wholesale. We buy less-than-perfect vegetables, and we have cold storage and capacity to do that. Rather than put strains on the retail systems, buying a jar of peanut butter … I could buy four jars of peanut butter for what you can do yourself.
“We are incredibly appreciative of food drives people are doing and dropping off at the warehouse, or at our partner agencies. That’s all really important. The fastest and most effective way to help, to get the biggest bang for your donation dollar and charitable contribution, is to donate funds.”
Pittman, who has served as CEO of the Clara White Mission for 32 years, says nonprofits that distribute food have been devastated since SNAP funding expired.
“I’m really scared that we might not have enough,” Pittman said during a meeting Johnson called Nov. 7 to discuss SNAP funding.
On Wednesday, Eartha’s Farm & Market will hold a food distribution between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. at 4850 Moncrief Road, where it will provide vegetables, meat, canned food and dry cereal.
Pittman says the food distributions typically draw 200 to 300 people. Its most recent distribution on Oct. 15 attracted nearly 800 people.
According to data from the Mayor’s Office, all 14 City Council districts have at least 1,400 households that receive SNAP benefits. Pittman’s district leads the city with 8,130 households.
