Cars line up for household items distribution at church

Food ForThe Poor recently teamed up with San IsidroCatholicChurch and the Knights of Columbus to distribute essential items to those affected by theCOVID-19 pandemic.

Car s lined up behind the Pompano Beach church offHammondvilleRoad almost an hour before the distribution began at 8 a.m., symbolizing the growing needs of the community.

Items in the distribution on Oct. 24 included shampoo, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent and diapers.

FatherWilfredo Contreras, pastor of San IsidroCatholicChurch, welcomed families to the

distribution and provided blessings to thosewho may have lost their jobs or loved ones due toCOVID-19.

“We’re providing this as a

community to our communities to help them in the midst of this pandemic,” Contreras said in a statement.“We hope this can be

a form of relief and a sign of God’s blessing on them as we distribute these items.”

Receiving its third shipment of relief goods from

Matthew 25: Ministries in Cincinnati, Food For The Poor has distributed essentials to theArchdiocese of Miami, Catholic Charities in Miami and St. Bonaventure Church inDavie.

Acknowledging food banks and churches are providing food, Romulo Barbero, the Grand Knight of the Knights ofColumbus San Isidro Council, emphasized the need for household items and personal hygiene products.

“The products are good quality and are very expensive for families, especially thosewhomay be out ofwork because of the pandemic,” Barbera said. “This is the mission of the Knights of Columbus to provide charity to people in need. We are very grateful to Food For The Poor and

Matthew 25: Ministries because, without you, this would not be possible.”

Items alsowere provided to St. Elizabeth ofHungary Catholic Church and St. Henry Catholic Church, both in Pompano Beach; St. Clement Church inWilton Manors; St. Vincent CatholicChurch inMargate; St. Malachy Catholic Church inTamarac; and Our Father’sHouse, which is next door to San Isidro Catholic Church.

Food ForThe Poor, which is one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, provides services fromemergency relief assistance to skills training to primarily 17 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Visit foodforthepoor.org.

ANDRESLEIVA/FOODFORTHEPOOR Avolunteer fromtheKnights ofColumbus organizes bags of household itemsand otherbasic necessities thatwere distributed this pastweekend at San Isidro Catholic Church in Pompano Beach to local families in need because of theCOVID-19 pandemic. The itemswere provided byMatthew25: Ministries and Food ForThe Poor.

Dozens of families line up at San Isidro Catholic Church in Pompano Beach at a drive-thru distribution of household goods and otherbasic essentials.