MIAMI – Up to 1,000 families are expected to be fed Tuesday thanks to the food items that were distributed at the Mana Convention Center in Miami.
The city of Miami partnered with the State Attorney’s Office and Farm Share to distribute boxes of food to those struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic.
Each distribution can feed 500 to 1,000 families per day.
It was quite an efficient operation as volunteers loaded fruits, vegetables, meats and drinks into people’s trunks.
“This is obviously a necessity in terms of food,” City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said.
Suarez, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 last month, said he is feeling great and greeted residents Tuesday while helping put food in people’s trunks.
He said he sees the need for food is great across South Florida.
“Unfortunately, the unemployment checks are not being processed fast enough and that’s a major problem in our community,” he said. “People aren’t getting the assistance that they need from the governments that have promised that, so we are trying to do everything we can at the local level to help our residents who have a tremendous, tremendous amount of need.”
Meanwhile, at Tropical Park in southwest Miami-Dade, the drive-through food distribution site there had to open earlier due to a large turnout.
Volunteers gave away 700 meals in one hour.
Organizers said the food distributed should last a family of four for an entire week.
“Everybody has been very grateful, thankful, putting their windows down, giving us a wave and thumbs up and being very grateful (during) this time of need,” Danny Barcia, of Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation, said.
Food giveaways at Tropical Park will be happening every Tuesday and Saturday until further notice.