Thousands receive baskets of holiday food

3,000 families get holiday meal from Latin Chamber of Commerce

MIAMI – The Latin Chamber of Commerce gave out baskets of food for the holidays Wednesday morning.

The chamber had given out 3,000 vouchers earlier this month. People waited in the long line on NW 14th Street in Little Havana for days.

Some, like Zaida Fuentes, told Local 10 they slept on the sidewalk.

"The economy is really bad, everything is really bad so what ever little little we appreciate everything," said Fuentes.

Juanita Alvarez waited eight days for the voucher and another five days for the basket. She said the meal will help her, especially with 16 grandchildren to feed this holiday season.

"Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, I'm going to cook this real meal that they're giving us," Alvarez told Local 10's Ben Kennedy. "It's wonderful. We get rice, ham, all the seasonings."

The meal includes turkey, vegetables, milk and pie and is enough for a family of five.

This year, Florida Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Jeb Bush stepped in to help and stress the importance of giving back.

"This is what Florida is about. We take care of each other," said Scott.

"There are hundreds of volunteers helping thousands of people to make sure they have a beautiful Christmas meal," said Bush.

Anyone with a voucher is guaranteed the meal.

Full Screen
1 / 5

It's the 27th year the chamber has helped out South Floridians in need.