Emergency Services network (ESN)
The ESN consists of several local congregations that provide various forms of emergency services including food pantries, delivered meals and prepared hot meals.
Each congregation has a core group of volunteers that organizes and implements the program. Each church is responsible for matching grant funds with additional donations of food and money to help sustain and expand the program. Branches purchases food vouchers that are later distributed to the church based programs and provides checks to designated vendors for those programs that purchase bulk food. We also utilize Feeding South Florida for low cost food purchases.
In addition, Branches solicits canned food donations from local pre-schools, churches and community organizations in order to support the food pantries. Beyond the direct assistance we seek to provide resources, tools and partnerships for the ESN that equip members to better serve their communities.
Another program which is part of ESN, is the Branches Thanksgiving Meal Delivery program. Branches has been serving the South Florida community on Thanksgiving Day since 2000. Our staff partners with dozens of agencies that help identify individuals that would otherwise be hungry and alone on what otherwise is a happy day. Congregations, community groups, businesses and individual volunteers help us collect food and prepare the meals but more importantly, they bring these hot meals to families’ homes along with a trilingual pamphlet filled with important resources about how they can make their families more financially stable. The goal is to provide hope and opportunities for everyone involved; volunteers and recipients alike.
If you are already an Existing ESN Partner, please refer to these useful documents below:
To learn more about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), please click here for helpful resources.
To learn more about the ESN program or to make an in-kind food donation, please contact
305-688-3551 x2008 or FinancialWellness@branchesfl.org
