‘We’re all trying to make it’: Hundreds line up at Central Florida mobile food drop-off

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hundreds of families lined up at a mobile food drop-off hoping to get meals that could last for a few days.

The event came at a time when Second Harvest, the state’s largest food bank, is struggling to keep up with supply and demand.

Hundreds waited for hours at the Islamic Society of Central Florida for volunteers to pack their cars with much-needed food.

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“Usually you have more than one family in a vehicle. Many have five, the other one may have six, so you (are) basically feeding 11 people in one car,” said Diana Serrano.

The Islamic Society of Central Florida depends on Second Harvest for donations, but even for the largest food bank in Central Florida, it’s hard to keep up with supply and demand.

“As a matter of fact, two weeks ago, we had 38,000 pounds of food. Today we received 22,000 pounds of food,” Serrano said.

But whatever they were able to give, hundreds were grateful.

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“(It’s) very, very tough. Everybody’s going through it. Everybody’s suffering from it, and we’re all trying to make it,” said Yolando Castro, a client.

The coronavirus pandemic has created a tough time for those not knowing if the end is near.

“Most of my clients are from Venezuela, so most of them are in limbo. They are here on asylum but they don’t have work visa’s. They are still in transition, so they don’t qualify for any help,” Serrano said.

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Within two hours, more than 500 families were taken care of.

“If we stay united, we can make it happen,” Serrano said.

Cox Media Group