MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — More than 1,300 people stood in line at the Matthew 25 Food Pantry in southwest Miami-Dade on Saturday — just one example of the growing need for food assistance across the county.
But proposed county budget cuts could soon leave food pantries like that one struggling to meet demand.
“The budget is under review and there will be some cuts to the local food bank Farm Share, which is one of our main partners that provides us with food at this pantry,” said pantry director Iani Carvalho.
Catholic Charities, which runs the Matthew 25 Food Pantry, is warning that county plans to slash Community-Based Organization (CBO) funding — including support to Farm Share — could have devastating effects on families already battling rising food and housing costs.
“This puts food on the table, especially for the people that have children. Now school starts — we need snacks, you need lunch, you need breakfast, and again everything has been so expensive,” said pantry visitor Jackie Villalobos.
“A lot of people are going to suffer, especially the children, the adults are going to go somewhat hungry, because I as a mother would give my food to my children before I eat, my children will not be hungry,” Villalobos added.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has acknowledged the cuts, saying they are a difficult but necessary part of closing the county’s $402 million deficit.
“There are a number of food pantries that have been receiving grant dollars through the county, and as of right now they are not in the budget,” Levine Cava said. ”So we hope for a miracle or manna from heaven, but right now to get to that 402 figure we’ve cut over 300 jobs, we’ve merged departments, we’ve done some salary reductions.”
Pantry staff say they serve around 2,000 people a month — and 300 of them are first-time visitors.
“Any cuts will then impact them, they will not get the fresh fruits and vegetables, the highly nutritious food that we look for,” the director said.
The need is only growing.
According to Feeding America, nearly 280,000 people in Miami-Dade County are food insecure.
“For them not being able to come here and fill a grocery cart every two weeks, they might not be able to feed their families,” Carvalho said. “They may have to find other places to get food. I’m not sure how much availability we have, but people will start to go hungry.”
Catholic Charities is urging the public to attend two upcoming budget meetings with the mayor to voice support for continued food assistance funding.
Public Meetings:
- Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. — Westchester Regional Library, 9445 Coral Way, Miami
- Aug. 5 at 6 p.m. — Arcola Lakes Senior Center, 8401 NW 14th Ave., Miami
Catholic Charities and other nonprofit organizations will be present at both meetings to advocate on behalf of families who depend on food assistance.
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