JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the record-setting federal government shutdown continues, community groups in the First Coast region are stepping up to address the need for food assistance, delivering meals one by one.

At Café Resistance on Soutel Drive, volunteers from the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) dedicated their evening to distributing hot meals to families facing food shortages, due to the suspension of federal SNAP and WIC benefits.

One of those benefiting from these efforts was Clifford Watson, a local resident.

“It’s tough times right now,” Watson commented.

He told First Coast News his grandmother, who can barely walk, broke down in tears asking for food. When he saw the post online about free meals, Watson said he walked over immediately to help her get one.

“This will help me and my family because we really needed this,” he said. “God is giving back to the community for people who really need food.”

Watson called the experience a blessing.

“We’re in Jacksonville, Florida, and God is good to us,” he added.

JCAC organizers say they’re trying to meet a growing need as many local families face uncertainty without federal assistance.

“There are a lot of hungry families here in Jacksonville,” said Neal Jefferson with JCAC. “When government assistance falls through, we have to have each other’s backs, to help one another and make sure we’re still eating.”

Jefferson said the effort is about more than food; it’s about taking care of their neighbors.

“This is my city, my community,” he said. “You’ve got to take care of the place you live if you want it to continue.”

City leaders are now being called to take action. Council Member Rahman Johnson announced an emergency meeting on the shutdown and SNAP benefits for Jacksonville residents. The meeting is scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m. inside City Hall.