Leon County Advances New Food Insecurity Division

Citizen Charter Review Committee votes 12-7 to recommend creating specialized division under county's Office of Human Services and Community Partnerships.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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The Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee voted 12-7 to recommend creating a new division of food services specifically targeting food insecurity management. The policy recommendation calls for establishing the division under the county's Office of Human Services and Community Partnerships, with the goal of streamlining collaboration among agencies tackling food insecurity while providing an annual report on the status of food security in the community.

Why it matters

Food insecurity is a significant issue in the community, with residents often navigating confusion and lack of coordination when trying to access food assistance resources. This new division aims to address these challenges by centralizing efforts and providing regular data on the state of food security in Leon County.

The details

The approved motion was a substitute for an original proposal to establish an Office of Food Systems in the County's Charter. While the original version didn't advance, the substitute version calls for creating a division of food systems under the existing Office of Human Services and Community Partnerships. This division would be tasked with coordinating food assistance services and producing an annual report on food insecurity in the county.

  • The Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee voted on the motion on February 19, 2026.
  • The County Commission will review the policy recommendation at their next meeting in March 2026.

The players

Barry Wilcox

A member of the Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee who raised the substitute motion for the new food insecurity division.

Bruce Strouble

A member of the Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee who had originally proposed establishing an Office of Food Systems in the County's Charter.

Shington Lamy

The Assistant County Administrator who described the county's current efforts to address food insecurity, including food lockers, Farm Share partnerships, and a dedicated staff position.

Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee

The committee that voted 12-7 to recommend creating the new food insecurity division.

Leon County Commission

The county governing body that will review the policy recommendation at their next meeting.

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What’s next

The County Commission will review the policy recommendation at their next meeting in March 2026.

The takeaway

This new food insecurity division aims to improve coordination and collaboration among agencies addressing food security issues in Leon County, providing an annual report to better understand and address the root causes of hunger in the community.