Health First Wellness Grants Make Healthy Food More Accessible

With $20K for the Sharing Center of Central Brevard in Cocoa, families in need are getting fresh, nutritious food on a regular basis — making everything else possible

ABOVE VIDEO: Health First Wellness Grants Make Healthy Food More Accessible

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – For 46-year-old Travis of Cocoa, knowing he has a place to go when money is tight and groceries are needed to feed his family is a game-changer.

“Having consistent access to food helps me focus on other tasks I have to do for the day,” Travis shared. “I might have an appointment here. My stomach’s growling. I might not make that. Once you get that full belly in your stomach, your mind is more clear.”

And knowing the Sharing Center is there means knowing he’ll be able to provide groceries – including fresh produce – for his family when they need it most.

But it’s about more than combatting hunger. It’s about giving people the fuel they need to get through the day – and helping them move forward.

Access to fresh, nutritious food is a serious challenge many families in Brevard County face.

The 2025 Health First Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) found about 1 in 3 Brevard residents ran out of food — or feared they would — during the past year, emphasizing the need for reliable access to nutritious options.

Through Wellness Grants, Health First is investing $600,000 in 2026 to support 30 Brevard nonprofits, advancing priority areas like access to care and nutrition and physical activity, while also addressing critical needs such as housing and food insecurity.

Through these targeted partnerships, Health First is helping to address one of Brevard County’s key health drivers — food insecurity — by connecting residents to nutritious meals and wellness resources that improve stability and health outcomes.

One example is the Sharing Center of Central Brevard’s Nourish 32922 program. A $20,000 Wellness Grant from Health First helps support the initiative, allowing eligible families to access fresh produce and food assistance every 30 days instead of every 60 days. Many participants are families with children.

Sharing Center President and CEO David Brubaker said fresh groceries are critical to staving off a domino effect of health issues. The nonprofit provides emergency assistance and guidance to those in the area struggling to meet basic needs.

“One in three adults are living below the poverty level, and two of five children are living below the poverty level in this area,” Brubaker shared.

“Keeping them healthy is really huge,” Brubaker said of offering milk, fresh produce, nutrient-rich tuna and more. “We want to be part of the solution to make Brevard healthier.”

Having the ability to provide fresh food on a monthly basis helps families – many of them facing financial hardship – save money and stretch what they have during times of crisis, he added.

Healthy nutrition is fundamental, because healthy habits play a part in keeping people well – and out of emergency rooms, Brubaker said.

“They are not calling into school as much or calling in for work when they’re healthy,” he noted.

And Brubaker and his team are not here to judge. They’re here to help.

“We want to provide a respectful and dignified experience,” Brubaker said, “because the reason we’re here is our clients.”

“It’s amazing sometimes what a bag of food can do. It starts a conversation, but it doesn’t end the conversation.”

To learn more about how Health First gives back to the community and to see a full list of organizations being supported this year, visit hf.org/wellnessgrants and  hf.org/giving-back.

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