As need grows, schools give meals over winter break
The line for food stretched as far as the eye could see Wednesday down Northwest 22nd Avenue.
Melinda Herrera shut off her black Nissan to save what was left in her gas tank as she waited to turn into Citrus Grove Elementary, where her 7-yearold son attends second grade. They were there to pick up what would get them through the next two weeks: apples, bread, boxed milk.
When it was her turn to get food, her car stalled. Miami-Dade Schools Police tried jumping the car to no avail. Herrera had a breakdown. She lost her mother to COVID-19 a few days ago. She was laid off from her job at Home Depot.
She signed up for a $250 Publix gift card, but two weeks have passed without a phone call.
“It’s just so much,” Herrera, a 48-year-old single mother said while wiping away tears. “It’s been one thing after another, and it’s been so hard.”
Herrera’s was one of dozens of families who came by car, foot and ride share on Wednesday to pick up bulk groceries to sustain them over the winter break. It’s the first time Miami-Dade County Public Schools has distributed meals over winter break, thanks to leniency granted by a government waiver.
“Food insecurity continues to be a sad reality in our community,” said Miami-Dade Superintendent of Schools Alberto Carvalho, who helped load food into vehicles. “We recognize during this pandemic many families are struggling.”
Citrus Grove Elementary is one of 139 schools with 90% or more students who qualify for free and reduced lunch in MiamiDade County Public Schools. Those schools on Wednesday distributed 1.2 million meals, enough for 12 breakfasts and 12 lunches for 40,000 students in need.
With help from celebrity chef José Andrés, the school district said it will deliver 500 hot meals a day for nine days over the break to where the neediest students reside in preselected communities.
Caridad Guevara, 31, loaded up a cart with enough food for her husband and her three children. Her husband is on his sixth job during the pandemic. It’s not enough: Her food stamps were reduced from $600 a month to $61.
“What am I gonna do with $61?” Guevara said. “I have three kids, my husband and me. ... I’m making it work, but it’s hard.”