Ryan Nicol
Miami City Commissioner Manolo Reyes will be on hand Saturday to help hand out food as part of a Feeding South Florida distribution event.
That event will run from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11. The distribution is being held at Miami’s Magic City Casino, located at 451 NW 37th Ave.
Due to concerns regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the event is drive-thru only.
“To ensure the health safety of volunteers and community members, we must adhere to the COVID-19 CDC guidelines,” a readout promoting the event reads. “Please remain in your car and open the trunk when it’s your turn in line.”
Lawmakers have long helped participate in these events to feed those in need in their respective communities.
But with social distancing efforts in effect aimed at stopping the virus’s spread, that’s made large-scale distribution efforts difficult. In response, Feeding South Florida and Farm Share have begun turning to drive-thru events to help ensure individuals are spread out and safe while that food is doled out.
While the Magic City Casino event featuring Commissioner Reyes is scheduled to run for three hours, those supplies will be handed out on a first come, first serve basis. The event will end once supplies run out.
On top of typically food-insecure individuals, limitations on social gatherings have also heavily impacted the economy. Those restrictions have already left many Floridians out of work. Though the federal government has approved a stimulus package to help people weather the storm, many Floridians are concerned with where they can access their next meal.
That’s led lawmakers to continue efforts to promote various food distribution events throughout the region. South Florida has been the epicenter for the virus outbreak in the state. As of Thursday evening, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties made up nearly 57% of the cases in Florida.
