September is Hunger Action Month, a time to recognize that hunger is a community issue – and that every one of us has a role to play in addressing it. This year’s theme, “Play Your Part,” is a reminder that meaningful change happens when we each do what we can to help our neighbors.

Here in Sarasota and DeSoto counties, we know hunger affects people from all walks of life. A family may be doing everything they can to make ends meet but when the cost of groceries, housing, insurance, utilities, gas and other necessities continues to rise, there often isn’t enough left in the budget to get by.

Changes to government assistance programs, including SNAP and Medicaid, are also impacting people who depend on these resources to help cover basic needs. For many households, losing or receiving less assistance can make an already difficult situation even harder.

More than 83,000 neighbors turned to All Faiths Food Bank for help in 2025. But an estimated 137,000 additional people in our community are at risk of hunger. That’s a total of 220,000 neighbors each year who may not know where their next meal is coming from.

We simply cannot reach everyone who needs help without the support of our community. That’s why Hunger Action Month is about more than raising awareness – it’s an invitation to play your part.

One way to help is by giving. Financial donations give us the flexibility to purchase the food our neighbors need most and respond as circumstances change. In 2025, All Faiths Food Bank and our partners provided nearly 18.7 million meals, including more than 5.8 million pounds of fresh produce. As food and other operating costs increase, community support is essential to making that impact possible.

You can also play your part by volunteering. Last year, 3,200 “Hunger Heroes” contributed more than 59,000 hours to help our neighbors. They sorted and packed food, worked at mobile distributions, supported nutrition education and cooking classes, helped at events and contributed in countless other ways. Every hour makes a difference.

And you can play your part simply by speaking up. Talk with your family, friends and colleagues about hunger in our community. Share information about food resources with someone who may need them, and help others understand food insecurity is not always visible and that asking for help should never be a source of shame.

Hunger is a challenge we can address together. When neighbors care for neighbors, we strengthen not only the people who need a helping hand today, but the entire community we share.

This Hunger Action Month, I hope you’ll find a way to play your part.

To donate or learn more about getting involved with All Faiths Food Bank, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.

Nelle S. Miller is the President and CEO of All Faiths Food Bank.