Sustainable Food Access Action Team
Acting as a link in the chain of local food availability — coordinating food banks, community gardens, and partner organizations to keep Southwest Florida fed.
Our Mission
To act as a link in the chain of local food availability — connecting food banks, nonprofits, and residents, managing educational community gardens, and serving as a resource guide for food access across Southwest Florida.
Our Vision
A Southwest Florida where anyone — housed or unhoused — can easily access food no matter where they are in the city, where shared spaces are used to grow food, and where the whole community, including local government, supports the work of keeping neighbors fed.
Why This Table Exists
The team came together at a moment when cuts to SNAP benefits left many neighbors worried about where their next meal would come from — and when local organizations lacked a strong network for coordinating food support.
Hunger touches every sector of community life. Even those who never miss a meal feel its effects in schools, workplaces, and the wellbeing of neighbors. People who are nourished can be their best selves, find purpose, and turn those blessings back into the community.
Current Focus
- Map food distribution nodes and service coverage gaps.
- Improve cross-organization coordination for referrals, gardens, and delivery.
- Increase awareness of available food support options.
What We Do
Monthly food drives
Regular collection drives supporting local people in need — friends, families, and community members.
Educational community gardens
Managing local community gardens where residents learn to grow food together.
Food bank partnership
Working alongside Midwest Food Bank and local nonprofits to strengthen distribution and connect organizations into the food-access chain.
Mobile food pantry (exploring)
Developing a volunteer-operated mobile pantry to bring food directly to the neighborhoods that need it.
Community fundraisers
Family-friendly fundraisers — bake sales, potlucks, and gatherings with entertainment — that support the team's work.