MIAMI (WSVN) - City of Miami’s Third District held a food distribution event for its residents at Jose Marti Park.
With Christmas just four days away, families got an early present in the form of $100 gift cards and some much-needed food for the holidays on Monday.
“This is a blessing because this is helping me and my family,” said a recipient, “and we’re a lot of people because it’s me and my kids and my husband, but I have eight kids and 13 grandchildren, and we’re really suffering right now. I don’t even know what I’m gonna do for Christmas because I don’t have money like that.”
Families lined up on foot and in cars at the park for what they consider a blessing.
“We really appreciate it,” said another recipient.
“If you see the lines we have here today, they go way beyond what you can see, and the cars don’t stop coming,” said Commissioner Joe Carollo, who hosted the food giveaway. “That shows to the need our community has.”
“It feels great to be able to come through,” said City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who hosted alongside Carollo. “It feels great to be able to help. It feels horrible to see the lines, and I’m walking the lines just to keep people animated because they still have to wait in line for hours. Some of them have been here since four to five in the morning.”
Monday’s food giveaway was considered the largest holiday food bag distribution in the history of Miami.
“We have put together over 7,000 big bags full of food for Christmas, for New Year’s and two pork shoulders. They can eat one at Christmas, and they can eat one at New Year’s,” Carollo said. “Never before have you had so much food given in Miami.”
“I’m hopeful that through the holidays, and now with the CARES Act that’s passing through Congress, that we’re gonna have more of an ability to help more people in our community,” Suarez said.
The city plans on distributing over 5,000 bags of food as well as gift cards to residents of District 3 over the next couple of days.
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