Category: Agency Relations

     This Thanksgiving season cozy up to the sweet comfort of winter squash. This family of nutrient packed vegetables include pumpkin, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, and butternut squash. These fall favorites provide numerous health benefits that may help reduce various types of illness such as heart and respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis. Benefits are also found in the red, orange, and yellow pigment of the skin where high levels of alpha- carotene and beta- carotene convert to Vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for vision health and can help boost immune function. Winter squash is also packed with fiber which can help keep blood sugar levels stable.

The best part is that most winter squash varieties are naturally sweet which makes it a great food for kids to try. You can bake, broil, or steam the vegetable to vary its texture. The healthiest way to prepare winter squash is to peel the vegetable, remove the seeds, cut the squash into cubes, and then steam them for about seven minutes. If you don’t want to peel the vegetable, you can cut it in half and poke the meat of the vegetable with a fork. Then throw it in the oven and bake until tender. For a power packed holiday treat, try roasting butternut squash with a sprinkle of brown sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Avey, Tori. “Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash – Vegan Recipe.” Tori Avey, 18 Nov. 2019, https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/maple-cinnamon-roasted-butternut-squash/.

Collins, Karen. “The Best Winter Foods for Kids.” EatRight, 13 Dec. 2018, https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/cooking-tips-and-trends/best-winter-foods-for-kids.

“Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin A.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/#h7.

Swartzendruber, Kris. “Enjoy the Taste and Health Benefits of Winter Squash.” MSU Extension, Michigan State University Extension, 2 Oct. 2018, https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/enjoy_the_taste_and_health_benefits_of_winter_squash.

On any given day you will find these two ladies waiting to greet you in our Partner Agency Lobby at the Orlando Warehouse. Many times I can hear laughter pouring over from the agency lobby and I can almost always count on it coming from Charlotte or Evelyn interacting with the agencies. They offer a familiar face and help the whole shopping experience feel less intimidating and more welcoming. I once asked both of them what they love most about their jobs and they both said that the agencies they interact with daily make their job meaningful. Charlotte and Evelyn are responsible for scheduling agency appointments, finalizing agency orders, answering food assistance calls, managing agency shopping and the list could goes on! Above all of this they continually provide great customer service to each agency that walks through our lobby doors. So, the next time you’re in our agency lobby be sure to stop and give an extra thank you to Charlotte and Evelyn we could not do what we do without them! 

– Fernanda Ngo

Second Harvest’s 12th annual Summer Food Program completed its first month of service on June 28th.

Throughout the month of June, Second Harvest’s fleet of trailers delivered over 102,610 breakfasts, hot lunches, and snacks to 98 participating locations in six counties, including YMCA’s, Parks and Recreation Centers, summer camps, libraries and churches.

The lack of reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food and hygiene items is common at colleges and universities across the country. A 2016 study by the National Conference of State Legislatures, found that 48 percent of U.S. college students reported facing food insecurities. When students are forced to pick between food or their education, the study found that both their health and academic performance suffered. 

To provide assistance to students in need, Seminole State College has established the Raiders Helping Raiders Pantry. Through the College’s Destination Graduation, a partnership with the Heart of Florida United Way, and its new affiliation as an official Second Harvest Food Bank Partner Agency, the pantry will provide students in need with both food and hygiene items. 

As a Second Harvest Food Bank Partner Agency, the College has been able to almost triple the amount of food they are now able to provide their students. “As someone who serves students who experience crisis, I am very excited and proud to be part of this collaborative project. Being food insecure while trying to complete a college degree is a big challenge and asking for help is often difficult for many students,” said Keren Rohena, Destination Graduation manager. “By bringing this resource on campus and raising awareness, we are hoping to reduce stigma around this issue and impact as many students as possible. The Raiders Helping Raiders Pantry is a great example of how non-profits, higher education institutions, and the campus community can come together to tackle the problems that affect us.” 

Seminole State’s Destination Graduation has been recognized nationally as an innovative program that connects at-risk students to the resources they need to stay in school. In partnership with Heart of Florida United Way, the program’s goal is to increase the graduation rates of low-income and veteran students attending Seminole State by providing onsite, comprehensive support. 

The Raiders helping Raiders Pantry is located in the student center on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus with points of contact at the Oviedo, Heathrow, and Altamonte Springs locations to ensure students at all campuses have access to the program.   

We are excited to welcome Raiders Helping Raiders Pantry to the Second Harvest of Central Florida family and we look forward to a long and successful partnership.

Patti DeLaCruz

Agency Relations Manager