Local Partners Fund Winter Meals for Students, Prevent Food Gaps
AdventHealth, the Orlando Magic and Florida Citrus Sports announced grants on December 1, 2025 to fund community meal programs across Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, ensuring students who rely on free or reduced price school meals continue to receive food during the winter break. The grants aim to protect nearly 200,000 students across the partner counties from hunger over the holiday period, a direct response to seasonal gaps in school based nutrition.
Local health care providers, sports organizations and nonprofit groups stepped in this month to shore up food access for families when school cafeterias close for the winter break. AdventHealth, the Orlando Magic and Florida Citrus Sports funded grants to support community meal programs in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, targeting students who depend on free or reduced price school meals. The announcement on December 1, 2025 said the initiative would help cover nearly 200,000 students across the partner counties during the holiday period.
The immediate effect will be the expansion of meal distribution at community centers, partner nonprofits and selected school sites, with donations covering operating costs and food procurement for the duration of the break. For Seminole County residents this means community meal sites and local food providers are receiving targeted support to prevent the typical winter gap when school nutrition programs pause. Local school districts already administering free and reduced price meal programs will coordinate with community partners to identify families in most need.
Beyond meal provision, the grants illustrate a broader trend in which private sector actors and health systems fill short term holes in the social safety net. Health care organizations view food security as a determinant of health, while sports franchises and event organizers are leveraging community reach to mobilize resources. For Seminole County that cross sector cooperation can reduce pressure on food banks and emergency services during the holidays, and may lower short term health risks associated with food insecurity.
Policy implications are clear. Temporary grants address urgent need but they do not eliminate year round gaps in child nutrition. The episode strengthens the case for sustained funding mechanisms that ensure children have access to meals whenever schools are closed, including expanded community feeding programs or seasonal assistance that bridges breaks. For now the December grants will provide relief to thousands of Seminole County children and their families, while highlighting the continuing role of partnerships in local food security efforts.
