Ryan Nicol
Feeding South Florida is holding a pair of Monday shifts to help feed students in the region after schools were closed due to concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus.
Volunteers are being asked to help pack meal boxes Monday for those students who are now forced to stay home.
Friday, officials around the state began announcing schools would be closed throughout the state. That left school-aged children staying home, some of whom rely on school meals to eat due to money concerns at home.
Enter Feeding South Florida, an organization which serves as a food bank for Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. The group also works to improve local infrastructure and to pair needy individuals or families with assistance programs and even job training.
Feeding South Florida announced a pair of additional Monday shifts to serve students by packing additional meal boxes..
Those shifts are being held at two locations. One is at the Feeding South Florida Main Warehouse. That’s located in Pembroke Park, near the border of Broward and Miami-Dade County, at 2501 SW 32 Terrace.
The group will also operate out of its Boynton Beach location in Palm Beach County, at 4925 Park Ridge Blvd.
Two shifts each were scheduled for Monday. One session was held at 8:30 a.m. at those locations. But both spots will also have a shift at 1:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon for those looking to help. Those seeking to assist with the afternoon shift can sign up on the Feeding South Florida website.
The group is also courting donations for a COVID-19 Response Fund. Up to $250,000 in donations will be matched by Ultimate Software and other sponsors. That donation match lasts until March 31.
The group has stressed in the past that those seeking food are not only the homeless or destitute.
“Most of the people we serve are working families,” said Paco Velez, the group’s president and CEO.
