ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Thousands of families got much-needed help to fight hunger during the holiday season.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida partnered Saturday with Orange County Public Schools to distribute food at nine locations across the county.

Volunteers and staff at one of the locations — Evans High School — were hard at work preparing for their visitors Saturday morning. Trucks from Second Harvest were full of produce and pantry staples.

Organizers hoped the event would help over 2,500 Orange County Public Schools families during the winter break, a time when many children lose access to free school meals. 

“So many families rely on that that school meal. And so for two weeks, their food bill at home is going to go up and they may be a family that is already right at that limit," said Greg Higgerson of Second Harvest.

"Lots of people are out there with their chins, barely above water. So this is a great, great outreach. It's a great way to help until they get back to school.”

Student groups were among those packing food and loading it into cars.

The distribution was to run until 11:30 a.m. or until supplies run out.

The locations for food pickup are:

  • Apopka Elementary – 311 Vick Rd, Apopka, FL 32712
  • Engelwood Elementary – 5985 La Costa Dr, Orlando, FL 32807
  • Ivey Lane Elementary – 209 Silverton St, Orlando, FL 32811
  • Lawton Chiles Elementary – 11001 Bloomfield Dr, Orlando, FL 32825
  • Maxey Elementary – 602 E Story Rd, Winter Garden, FL 34787
  • Oakridge High – 700 W Oak Ridge Rd, Orlando, FL 32809
  • Rock Lake Elementary – 408 N Tampa Ave, Orlando, FL 32805
  • Tangelo Park Elementary – 5115 Anzio St, Orlando, FL 32819