Where Highlands County Families Can Find Free Groceries and Meals

If your family is feeling the pinch with SNAP funding on hold, you’re not alone — and Sebring - Lake Placid - Avon Park is full of organizations ready to help. We’ve rounded up local resources where you can find free groceries, community meals, and kid-friendly food programs to make things a little easier.

Local Food Resources, Banks, Pantries

Avon Park

• Hands for Homeless — Union Church, 151 Robert Britt St, Avon Park. 863-212-8941. Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 10 AM – 12 PM and Tuesday, Thursday from 10 AM – 1 PM. Facebook.
• Church Services Center Food Pantry — 198 W Walnut St, Avon Park. 863-452-6464. Tuesday - Friday 9 am to 1:00pm.  
  • To be eligible, must be a resident of Avon Park with economic problems, please bring photo ID, proof of income. 
• Church Service Center —  104 South Railroad Ave, Avon Park, FL  33825. 863-452-6464. Tuesday/Friday 8:30 am to noon. Facebook.
  • Must call to receive services – can assist with more than food. Can use food pantry 1x a month; assist with light/water bill every 4 months.
• Ridge SDA —  507 W. Hal McRae Blvd, Avon Park, FL 33825. 863-452-5514. ID required. Monday 10 am – 12 pm and Thursday 12 pm – 3 pm. Facebook.
• Southside Community Resource Center —  1013 South Delaney Ave, Avon Park, FL 33825. 863-274-5146. Monday  11 am – 3 pm and 2nd and Last Saturday noon – 3 pm. Facebook.

Lake Placid

• South Oak Church —125 S Oak Ave, Lake Placid. Opens at 9 am every second and fourth Thursday. Facebook.
• Manna Ministries of Lake Placid — 416 Kent Ave, Lake Placid, FL  33852. 863-659-0093. Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 am – 12 pm. Facebook.

Sebring

• Church of the Nazarene — 420 S Pine St, Sebring. 863-385-0400. Sunday at 5 pm.
• Parkway Food Ministry — 3413 Sebring Parkway, Sebring. 863-382-3552. Get free bags of food. Fridays at 1 pm. 
• Faith Lutheran Church — 2740 Lakeview Dr, Sebring. 863-385-7848. Requires ID and proof of Sebring residency. One Friday of the month from 10 am to noon. Facebook
  
• Emmanuel UCC — 3115 Hope St., Sebring, FL 33875. 863-471-1999. 3rd Monday of every month 11 am – 1 pm. Facebook.
• Sebring Seventh-Day Adventist Church (Helping Hands) — 2106 State Road17 N, Sebring, FL  33870. 863-385-2438. Monday 1 pm – 2 pm. Facebook.
• Spring Lake Presbyterian Church — 5887 US 98, Sebring, FL  33876. 863-655-0713. 3rd Tuesdays 8 am – 11 am; breakfast served at 8 am.
• Salvation Army — 3135 Kenilworth Blvd, Sebring, FL  33870. 863-385-7548. Mon – Thurs 9 am – 11:30 am and 12:30 – 2 pm. Facebook.
• First Baptist Church of Lake Josephine — 111 Lake Josephine Dr., Sebring, FL  33875. 863-655-1524. Bring ID. Wed 5 pm – 6 pm; at 5:30 pm a hot meal served during school year. Facebook.
• First Sebring Church — 126 South Pine Street, Sebring, FL  33870. 863-385-5184. 1st and 3rd Saturday starting at 8 am and until food is gone. Facebook.
• Grace Bible Church-Highlands — 4541 Thunderbird Road, Sebring, FL 33872. 863-382-1085. Call in advance, Mon – Thurs from 8:30am – 4 pm. Facebook.
• Lighthouse Community Church (formerly Sebring Church of the Brethren) — 700 South Pine St., Sebring FL 33870. 863-385-1597. 2nd and 4th Friday of the month from 2 pm – 4 pm and Wednesday at 5:30 pm; Free Fellowship Meal. Facebook.
• Living Waters Church of God — 4571 Sparta Rd., Sebring, FL 33875. 863-385-8772. Call for appointment. Facebook.
• New Testament Mission —  604 Lemon Ave., Sebring, FL  33870. 863-385-0035. Lunch served promptly at noon, receive a to–go pack afterwards. Some canned foods available Mon – Friday 1 pm to 2 pm. Facebook.

* Important: Please call the food pantries to confirm that the hours have not changed. We do our best to provide full information and details. We do not want you to waste your time visiting a pantry that is not open.

Lisa | Canva

💕 Ways to Help Others

If your family is in a position to give back, many of these groups welcome donations or volunteers. A few cans of soup, a bag of rice, or a few minutes helping stock shelves can make a real difference.

More Local Resources

• 211 Helpline: Call 211 or visit 211.org for up-to-date information on food, housing, and family resources in Sebring - Lake Placid - Avon Park.
• Feeding America: Find additional food pantries at FeedingAmerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank.

Macaroni KID Sebring - Lake Placid - Avon Park is here to support local families — whether it’s finding fun things to do or helping when times are tough. Because being part of Sebring - Lake Placid - Avon Park means showing up for each other — and we’re always here to help you find what your family needs.