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Jacksonville area residents utilizing food pantries amid government shutdown

This historic government shutdown is forcing many Jacksonville area workers to turn to food banks to help feed their families.

“Our furloughed employees who are not getting active paychecks are in an emergency state, and so they are needing our help right now. The need has gone up significantly in January,” said Frank Castillo, president for Feeding NE Florida.

The warehouse where all the food is collected is normally packed with food, but Thursday, there were a lot of bare shelves and empty boxes.

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Castillo said they have 150 pantries in Northeast Florida; 100 of those are in Duval County.

“Many of our 150 organizations we help have told us that they have seen an in flow of additional people that are being hurt by this shutdown,” he said.

On Tuesday, they passed out food to hundreds of Coast Guard members who are without pay.

“Among those in the TSA and those in the U.S. Coast Guard, the need has risen. They’re at a level that we have not seen,” Castillo said.

Castillo said he has fears this problem will get worse before it gets better.

“If we are already feeling the pressure of additional food being needed in our community, on top of the food that is needed here on a regular basis, then come February, if this is not resolved, then we are going to see levels of need at a level that we have not seen in a long time,” he said.

He’s hoping for help from the community.

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