Osceola County non-profit tackles hunger with new freezer program

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — As prices for almost everything goes up, people are stuck choosing what necessities are more than others, including food.

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Four months ago, The Osceola Response Team started a program called “Open The Freezer.” It’s a concept that allows people who need food to take what they need whenever they want. No questions asked.

“It’s either rent or food, so they’re paying their rent and going without food. No, we stopped that,” said Richard Herr, Director of the Osceola Response Team.

Herr said he started the program after seeing the prices of food climb and noticing people around the county in need of food. He said he thought back to the memories of his mother shouting at him to close the freezer and decided to buy freezers in hopes that people would take food for nourishment or donate to keep the program moving.

“Every city in every county doesn’t want to see people starving, nor do they want to see them on the side of the road. But if you have no food, you may end up on the side of the road asking somebody. This, to me, eliminates that,” said Herr.

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According to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, 1 in 8 people face hunger and 1 in 6 children face hunger. Both Marion and Osceola Counties have higher rate of food insecurity than the national average of 13.5%.

So far, there are five freezer locations that the non-profit disburbed across Osceola County, with a sixth location in the workings.

-Abracadabra Ice Cream Factory in Kissimmee:  11 am -11 pm

-Granny’s Southern Smokehouse in St. Cloud:  Open 24 hours

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-Green Machine services in Kissimmee:  Open 24hours

-Homepride Group Reality in St. Cloud: Open 24 hours

-Kwik Stop at 2331 Old Dixie Highway in Kissimmee: Open 8 am to 8 pm

Each location has a pantry for non-perishable items as well. Herr said the team fills each of the locations every other day, and with the help of donations, he’s looking to be able to fill them more often.

Herr said people can also donate to the program by placing food in the freezers or donating to the cause by scanning a code on any freezer or through the website.

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