HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida hospital and several local groups joined forces to help co-workers, friends and neighbors by feeding a need during the coronavirus pandemic.
7News cameras captured a line of cars wrapped around Hialeah Hospital for blocks, Saturday morning.
Organizers described the drive-thru food distribution as a “no contact” community event.
“Yeah, it’s going to be very helpful for the community here,” said participant Amnerys Garcia.
Hialeah Hospital CEO Michael Bell said the event was out together out of an urgent need he saw from the community.
“One thing we became aware of, as people were being laid off and businesses were being shut down, we began to hear stories that people were having difficulty getting chicken and resources in this part of the community,” he said.
With social distancing in mind, organizers set out to help. asking people to pull up with the windows up and trunks open.
Bell said they had enough for 500 families on a first come, first served basis.
“We’re giving out chicken, some canned goods, fresh apples, fresh milk and some potatoes,” he said. “Just a little bit of help for the day and the week, hopefully, for some of these families.”
Leaders at the hospital said, once they thought of the idea, it took just three days to get everything and everyone they needed.
“We reached out to Farm Share, we reached out to the City of Hialeah and the mayor, and they were willing to sponsor this as a distribution site, so obviously there is a need,” said Bell.
It’s a need they’re not forgetting about once those bags were gone and the last car pulled off.
Bell said they’ll be looking at doing this again and finding other ways to serve a struggling community.
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