MIAMI (WSVN) – A South Florida organization is stepping up to feed a need to families in need this holiday season, just as it has done for the past 40 years.
CAMACOL has been hosting a food distribution in Miami for four decades. Organizers said 700 food baskets will be handed out at this year’s event at loanDepot Park, and it will predominantly be a drive-thru distribution. About 75 baskets to be handed out to pedestrians as well.
7News’ Dronecam hovered above rows of cars snaking around the venue, just after 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Many drivers camped overnight and have been waiting at the venue since Tuesday afternoon.
Juanita Álvarez said she has been first in line for about half the time CAMACOL has organized the annual tradition.
“I got here yesterday at 6 in the morning. Yes, and today is Wednesday, and it’s December the 10th, and I was here on a Tuesday, December the 9th, early in the morning,” said Álvarez. “They went and picked me up at 5:30, and we just got here and lined up right here.”
When asked what brings her back every year, Álvarez told 7News, “This is my 17th year, and I just love to see all of y’all to come and interview me and to be with all my friends, and especially the basket … This is great. I’m waiting for it because, you know, this I share with my family. We need this because things are really expensive lately. I don’t know what’s going on, you know, but this helps a lot. This, oh my goodness, when I see it and all these people be giving me a bag here, a basket here, you know, oh, I be so happy. My heart is about to come out because I’m thinking about my family. You know, they need it.”
Álvarez said the baskets are filled with generous portions of holiday staples.
“Like Publix and Sedano’s Supermarket, they’re there, you know. I saw the Coca-Cola, I saw the Goya, all these products. This is wonderful,” she said.
The drive-thru distribution differs from other years insofar as organizers will be distributing all of the food through the garage at loanDepotPark instead of in front of the CAMACOL headquarters.
The distribution started at 7 a.m. and usually lasts until around noon.
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