Catholic Charities needs help feeding South Florida families

By Cristina Cabrera Jarro -

MIAMI | Catholic Charities’ Matthew 25 Food Pantry received no turkeys for Thanksgiving this year. The upcoming holiday season is also looking uncertain in terms of whether there will be enough food to distribute to the more than 1,300 households the pantry assists. It is why Matthew 25 has put out “an urgent request” hoping the community and corporate donors can help.

“At this time, we have seen a large decline in the quantity of protein items, such as beef, poultry, fish, pork, etc., being donated and delivered to the pantry,” said Iani Carvalho, senior director of nutrition and senior services at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, Inc.

“Our staff has reached out to our food bank partners requesting any available protein but has been told that none is available at this time. In fact, we just heard that our usual delivery from a food bank partner will be cut in half during December,” she said.

Matthew 25 is the largest food pantry in Miami-Dade County, distributing an average of 84,905 pounds of food per month. The pantry is assisted by donations from food bank partners, including Feeding South Florida and Farm Share, as well as donations received from local markets like Publix, Walmart, Target, Costco, Sprouts, Aldi and others. Although over 84 tons of food sounds abundant, after a twice a month distribution, there is little to spare. It is even more concerning because Matthew 25’s partners are experiencing shortages and giving less.

To help aid communities in the Caribbean affected by Hurricane Melissa, Catholic Charities has also used part of Matthew 25’s stock.

At their last distribution in November, Matthew 25 reached their peak amount of giving to those registered in their database. But new unregistered individuals and families are arriving at the warehouse on a weekly basis, and, unfortunately, they are being turned away.

“It’s very difficult to turn them away. If they do come here and we turn them away, we usually try to give them something, even if it’s a box of eggs,” said Carvalho.

Anaderky Macias, who works with Matthew 25, has noticed that people still express gratitude even though there is less to give.

“They leave happy, many of the people who come here tell me, ‘I’ve already been to four food banks that have closed.’ They understand it’s less, but it’s more than what many places are giving because many places have unfortunately had to close,” said Macias.

On Nov. 24, an unscheduled food distribution occurred thanks to an unexpected donation that had arrived at Matthew 25 the previous week. Because the donation included perishable items such as produce and dairy, the team of volunteers at Matthew 25 became an “all-hands-on-deck” effort as they organized the distribution and notified clients via text or phone calls.

Leyla Scaparone, a Hialeah resident, was one of many who received a text and benefited from the extra food.

“I’m going to share with my family and my neighbors,” said Scaparone.

“We’re grateful for everything we’ve been getting,” said Carvalho.

On Give Miami Day in November, Matthew 25 surpassed its $35,000 goal, which will help cover normal operational costs of the pantry. An additional challenge has arisen, however, as their 26-foot refrigerated trailer is out of service, and it is costing them an additional $800 a week to rent another. A smaller truck used for picking up donations from markets and food banks is also experiencing problems.

“We’re trying to ride out until the end of the year to see if something happens, but it’s a challenge,” said Carvalho.

Matthew 25 is hoping a generous donor will step up and help the organization that helps so many people. The impact of such a donation will not go unnoticed by individuals and families who arrive at the pantry worried about food security, and who can then leave with a cart full of food.

“Glory to God, we are here and we continue serving, and we hope to resume our previous level of giving. But, for now, at least we can serve them,” said Macias.

 

HOW TO HELP

• In addition to protein and meat products, Matthew 25 is looking for donations of rice, beans, pasta, milk, and nonperishable items like snacks, cereal, canned goods, and water to supplement the stock of supplies that are running low.
• Organizations or individuals interested in donating food or linking Catholic Charities with corporate partners can contact Anaderky Macias at 954-540-8967 or [email protected], or [email protected].