Longwood residents collect food for veterans at Reiter Park drive

Longwood residents packed canned goods and ready-to-eat meals at Reiter Park to help the World Mission Society Church of God reach a goal of collecting 10,000 pounds of food and essential items for veterans facing food insecurity. The donations were earmarked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to distribute to veteran families in need.

The drive took place Sunday, July 5, 2026, at Reiter Park, 311 W. Warren Ave., and mixed donations with a barbecue, family activities and a visit from the Longwood Fire Department. Vanessa Freire, a church member, said the effort was tied to the United States’ 250th anniversary and was meant to honor the people who served the country and protected American independence.

The Sharing Center puts the number of Seminole County residents experiencing food insecurity at more than 53,000. Food insecurity can harm physical and mental health. Working-age veterans are 7.4% more likely to experience food insecurity than similarly situated non-veterans, according to the VA. USDA Economic Research Service findings showed 11.1% of working-age veterans lived in food-insecure households from 2015 to 2019.

Feeding America puts the share of working-age veterans who are food insecure at 1 in 9 and the number of low-income veterans who use SNAP at 1.2 million. The VA Food Security Office screens veterans for food insecurity and connects them with food pantries, SNAP and other resources. Freire said veteran families should not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, and she urged people not to hesitate to contribute to a good cause. The church has more than 3 million registered members in about 7,500 locations in 175 countries.