A food voucher giveaway event for victims of Hurricane Irma has been cancelled after police say scuffles broke out and people fainted from the heat while standing in long lines.
The Food for Florida Disaster Food Assistance Program event at Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah closed Saturday and remain closed Sunday in response to public safety concerns, according to Florida Department of Children and Families spokesperson Beatriz Lopez. Lopez said the program is expected to resume Sunday.
Lopez also said that residents waiting at the Tropical Park, Miami-Dade College North Campus and at South Dade Government Center locations since Saturday morning will receive assistance, but they will not process anyone else until Sunday.
Meanwhile in Broward County, programs were canceled for Sunday.
The events were canceled after becoming a public safety issue. Police said patrons required medical attention because they were overcome by the heat. Additional deputies were assigned to alleviate traffic gridlock and quell minor disturbances of frustrated participants.
DCF says they will work with BSO to come up with a better plan to ensure everyone's safety.
"We have seen a historic response that shows just how many families were affected by Hurricane Irma," Paige Patterson-Hughes said. "We have served nearly 1.1 million people in the state of [Florida] as of today."
The Food for Florida Disaster Food Assistance Program, which began Tuesday, has assisted individuals and families impacted by the storm. The program is being held at several locations, including Miami-Dade College’s North Campus as well as Tropical Park in Southwest Miami-Dade and C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines.
The program, running through Sunday, provides EBT debit cards loaded with benefits received after an application is filled out. A person may be eligible for benefits if they meet one of several conditions, including not already receiving state assistance, living or working in declared disaster areas or having expenses that include home or business damage, temporary shelter expenses, food loss or personal injury.
You can apply for benefits by either clicking on this link or visiting one of the relief sites. For a complete list of sites across the state, click on this link.
