Governor, don’t let our kids go hungry
Regarding the article “Florida officials urged not to pass up food aid again” (July 8), as someone who has dedicated my life advocating for people who are poor and marginalized, I was deeply disappointed to learn that Florida state officials had decided not to participate in a federal program that would have helped ensure children from low-income families in our state had enough to eat this summer.
Many children from low-income families have access to free lunch during the school year. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, or Summer EBT, would provide the families of over 2 million children in Florida with $40 per month in federal grocery assistance during the summer months, when school is out. Families would spend these benefits at local grocery stores, farmers markets, and farm stands. This year, 36 states are participating in the program. Florida is not one of them.
To be able to participate in the program in 2025, Florida must submit the necessary paperwork by Aug. 15. I am hopeful that Gov. Ron DeSantis, Secretary for the Florida Department of Children and Families Shevaun Harris, and other state officials will recognize the overwhelming need for, and benefits of, the program and submit the paperwork on time.
Children are our heritage and our future. Allowing kids to go hungry is not only a disservice to them, it is a reflection on us. Our state is better than this.
Joel C. Hunter Casselberry
Joel C. Hunter, a Christian pastor, is the chair of the Central Florida Pledge, which asks people to resolve to love their neighbors regardless of differences.
Runner’s death turned into blame game
A letter-writer (“Bowie’s death highlights maternal death rate,” July 7) would have you believe that Olympic runner Tori Bowie’s death last year was a result of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stance on abortion. Abortion had nothing to do with her death. According to the death report, she died of complications during her pregnancy of eclampsia, high blood pressure during pregnancy. He points out that California has a lower death rate during pregnancy than Florida and that the death rate, during pregnancy, is higher in red states than blue.
Typical Democrat blame game. Why not blame it on climate change? That makes about as much sense.
Joe Tolley Altamonte Springs
Don’t waste more money on SunRail
It’s no surprise that the local authorities are getting sticker shock at the costs of maintaining the SunRail (July 8). Anybody with any common sense knew SunRail was a pig in a poke the moment it was sold to the public 10 years ago. SunRail has never achieved the ridership that was promoted during the planning stages. SunRail is a public transportation system. It’s an infrastructure entity, not a profit-making business.
I am having a hard time imagining that it takes nearly $700,000 annually to maintain the Maitland station. I’ve used the Maitland station a number of times. I just can’t see where that money could possibly go for maintenance.
Additionally, they want to spend another $4 billion to connect SunRail to the airport. I have news for you. There are two Lynx buses that already connect SunRail to the airport from the Sand Lake Road station. The bus schedules are timed to the SunRail schedule. I use them twice a week when I go to the airport. Instead of spending $4 billion unnecessarily, spend $500,000 and get the buses on time. Just wait for Brightline to extend west and make sure it goes through the Meadow Woods station and make that a transfer station.
Frank Bigham Orlando
