MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County, in partnership with Farm Share, staged a drive-thru food distribution event on Thursday.
They hosted a similar event last year, but it quickly became clear that it would not be the same this time.
“This year, we saw an abundance of response in terms of an abundance of individuals lined up before the doors opened to be able to provide the food distribution,” said Yesenia Villalta, the health officer administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County.
Ultimately, officials found that the demand this year far outstripped the supply of food that was available.
Natalie Ocasio and her mom were the last car in line to receive food.
“We didn’t even know if we would be able to get anything either because the line was just so long,” Ocasio said. “I can use all the resources we can get. We don’t have but one income coming in the house. It is hard, but hopefully the government will open again soon.”
Some of the community members who were unable to get food at the drive ended up at another one for federal workers at Homestead Air Reserve Park and were asked to wait on stand-by.
“The times that we are in right now, I wish that there was more that everyone could get,” said Ocasio. “It just shows you the times that we are in right now, so I really feel for these people who are not able to get anything, but I know there are other food drives happening this month so hopefully a lot more people can get what they need.”
At Homestead Air Reserve Park, Feeding South Florida hosted the federal worker food drive.
“Usually when people take on jobs like this with the federal government, they already have a high sense of patriotism, so they are going to stay in,” said TSA worker John Hubert. “They are the people who pass the background checks, we are the good guys. That is why we feel like we are in the middle of all this nonsense. We should be getting paid along with everyone else, so we need to be able to get our paychecks back -- that is the number one thing.”
“This will be the second week without any pay,” Hubert added. “Everything is starting to catch up right now. The first of the month is very difficult -- rent, getting food for your kids, childcare. Some people have child support, so it is very difficult. We can only choose to keep our head up and keep fighting for the country. We still come out, regardless of being paid, to serve the American public, so what we can do now is at least provide some sort of aid and teaming up with Feeding South Florida in order to get that accomplished.”
Hubert said he has reached out to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about the government shutdown and how it’s affecting federal workers.
“We often visit with them from both sides of the aisle and we are telling all of them to go to DC and take care of business and pass some sort of continuing resolution or something so we can get paid,” he said.
Feeding South Florida said it was able to give food to everyone.
According to the organizations president and CEO, Paco Vélez, “there are over 1.2 million food insecure individuals, and 1 in 9 individuals in South Florida remain uncertain about where they will get their next meal. The government shutdown has not only affected our federal employees, but has affected over 967,000 individuals they serve in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe, who have not received their SNAP benefits.”
For more information on food drives in South Florida, click here.
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