Hundreds of hopeful participants gathered in the pre-dawn hours near Loan Depot Park, in anticipation of the 39th annual food basket giveaway organized by CAMACOL. This event, hosted by the Latin Chamber of Commerce, drew long lines of vehicles stretching from NW 16th Avenue to W. Flagler Street in Miami's Little Havana, as reported by CBS News Miami.
Juanita Alvarez, the first person in line for the giveaway, voiced the palpable solidarity and hardship among the attendees, stating, "There is a lot of need, believe me. Many people are not here because they don't have cars and that made me feel bad. All the items in the supermarket went really high so that's why we are grateful for the Latin Chamber of Commerce doing this for 39 years," as she waited in her vehicle which was a decision to start queuing up overnight, as reported by CBS News Miami.
This year's giveaway began at 7 a.m. and was strictly limited to those with vehicles, disallowing walk-up participation. Preparations for the distribution were extensive, with crews reportedly organizing baskets filled with traditional Latin Christmas Eve dinner ingredients, ensuring families could celebrate Noche Buena properly. Director of Corporate Development at CAMACOL, Joe Garcia, outlined the logistical plan explaining, "We’re gonna have folks lining up starting on 16th street wrapping around LoanDepot Park, then coming down 14th avenue," as cited by WSVN.
The adjustment to the quantity and quality of the food baskets reflects an ongoing battle with economic strain, marking a reduction in the number of grocery bags distributed compared to previous years yet an increase in the amount of food per bag, with 750 families benefiting this time. "This year we have more families that are in need and we understand that and we work harder to make the bundle bigger," remarked Pedro Mesa from Sedano's Supermarkets, according to CBS News Miami.
"It's very important. Things got so expensive lately, everything way high. I'm waiting for everyone. Please come!" she reflected, indicating the increasing reliance on community support during trying economic times, according to her statement obtained by WSVN.
