MIAMI — Ever since the proposed budget came out last month for Miami-Dade County, there’s been plenty of talk about it.
People are concerned, especially with nonprofits and charities losing funds, because already, according to Feeding America, just in Miami-Dade alone, 280,000 people don’t have enough to eat.
On Friday morning, Vice Chairman Kionne McGhee addressed the consequences that come with the proposed budget cuts to community-based organizations in 2026.
He said he’s not on board with cuts.
“From the age of 4 to all the way to the age of 19, I’ve dealt with trauma at its early stage and I still deal with trauma every day at this later stage,” McGhee said. “So trauma, in a sense, has shaped my life as a person. I’ve lost two brothers, one to murder, lost a father to murder, lost many cousins to murder.
“That’s why I fight so hard. I know for a fact. I know for a fact there are 1000s of kids out there right now, thousands of individuals with special abilities out there right now, simply know that if you are missing from this equation.”
Nonprofit leaders whose grant funding has been entirely eliminated were there to have their voices heard.
The county is being forced to make some projected cuts due to a $402 million deficit.
For the first time, the county’s annual budget includes five departments that are newly independent from the county but remain funded by it. They include the Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Clerk of Court, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said half of the budget gap is driven by those new departments.
She spoke to Local 10 News’ Glenna Milberg Sunday morning on “This Week in South Florida,” addressing the issue.
“We are all here for the same purpose, to provide for the needs of our residents,” she said. “We understand we are all drawing from the same pot, and that’s creating challenges, and that is why we have a $402 million gap. That’s a big, big part of it to make sure that we can accommodate those new constitutional offices.”
The mayor also mentioned a loss of federal dollars and rising housing costs.
With this, a $40 million budget cut is projected for social services, nonprofits and charities.
The director of Mathew 25 Food Pantry, which is ran by Catholic Charities, said they serve 2,000 people each month -- 300 of those each month are new faces who have turned to this essential service to put food on their table.
“I come every time and too many people (are) coming, too much people need the food,” Generosa Pascual said.
“A lot of people are going to suffer, especially the children,” another woman said. “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.”
The director of Matthew 25 Food Pantry told Local 10 News that sometimes even now they still have to turn people away when they don’t have enough food.
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