Orange County Public Schools families to see expanded food pantry access

More Orange County Public Schools students and their families could get help putting healthy food on the table through a $400,000 grant awarded to the Foundation for OCPS.The foundation announced Tuesday, Nov. 3, that it received the funding from the Florida Blue Foundation to strengthen school-based food pantries in low-income communities and expand access to nutritious food.The initiative will support pantry infrastructure and capacity, helping schools serve as a resource for families facing food insecurity.“No student should have to worry about where their next meal will come from,” said Debi Pedraza, executive director of the Foundation for OCPS. What the grant means for local familiesThe funding will support the foundation’s Food Pantry Capacity and Access Expansion Initiative, which focuses on strengthening food assistance through schools families already know.The foundation said the investment will help school-based pantries respond to families’ needs while addressing challenges