On Saturday, June 6, the International Rescue Committee in Tallahassee was able to carry out our first small-scale food distribution through our initiative, The Last Mile, with the help of Good News Outreach, a community services partner in the Tallahassee area.

The Last Mile food distribution initiative is meant to work around food bank accessibility barriers affecting our clients, particularly transportation challenges that can make it difficult to reach food distribution sites. By going the last mile, we deliver food directly to families in need, helping ensure they have access to essential nutrition.

Good News Outreach was kind enough to partner with us by supplying food and providing a home base to meet and work out of.

At IRC in Tallahassee, we have identified clients who need additional nutritional assistance following recent changes to SNAP benefits, and conducted a smaller, more concentrated first run of the food distribution. Through this initial effort, we were able to provide nutritional support to 50 individuals with a variety of essential food items, including nonperishable goods, fresh vegetables, milk, and meat.

Recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have resulted in reduced or discontinued benefits for many households, creating additional challenges for families experiencing food insecurity. As these changes take effect, initiatives like The Last Mile help ensure that refugee and immigrant families in our community continue to have access to essential food resources.

This distribution would not have been possible without the generosity of our community partners and volunteers, who dedicated their time and energy to sorting, packing, and delivering food directly to families across Tallahassee. Their commitment reflects the spirit of welcome and mutual support that makes our community stronger.

We look forward to continuing this initiative to help feed families in need. We extend our sincere thanks to Good News Outreach and our incredible volunteers for making this first distribution possible.

If you are interested in supporting this effort or want to learn more about how to get involved, please contact the IRC in Tallahassee at FL-Development@rescue.org.