LTC 356-2020 Update on City's COVID-Related Food Pantry Program
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 356-2020 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: October 9, 2020
SUBJECT: Update on City’s COVID-Related Food Pantry Program
The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to update the Mayor and Commission on the City’s
food pantry program created to serve residents adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March of this year, as the pandemic began to impact our community, the City redirected its
Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) resources to provide groceries to households that
either could not go to the grocery store (because of quarantining recommendations) or who had
lost income and could not afford to purchase groceries. As the need grew beyond available
resources, the Mayor and Commission stepped in and provided up to $700,000 at its May 13th
meeting to enable the continuation and expansion of emergency food services for up to four
months. The Commission also directed to pursue Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) reimbursement from the federal government if the opportunity was presented.
The following indicates the number of unique households served since the program’s expansion:
Weekly Period # of Unique
Households Served
May 5 – 8, 2020 462
May 12 – 15, 2020 449
May 19 – 22, 2020 453
May 26 – 28, 2020 348
June 2 – 5, 2020 332
June 9 – 11, 2020 323
June 16 – 18, 20201 249
June 30 – July 2, 2020 219
July 7 – 9, 2020 196
July 14 – 16, 2020 201
July 21 – 23, 2020 209
July 28 – 30, 2020 209
August 4 – 6, 2020 218
August 11 – 13, 2020 225
August 18 – 20, 2020 232
August 25 – 27, 2020 247
September 1 – 3, 2020 226
September 8 – 10, 2020 212
September 15 – 17, 2020 206
September 22 – 24, 2020 202
September 29 – October 1, 2020 192
1 – Prior to June 16th, the City operated 2 distribution sites (North and South Beach)
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As reported to the Mayor and Commission, the City tracked food assistance to ensure that eligible
households access other avenues including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) and the county’s meal delivery program (which has subsequently closed), as appropriate.
More so, those households with SNAP benefits are expected to exhaust their allocations prior to
requesting additional City assistance. This requirement, in part, explains the fluctuation in the
number of households served week to week as resident households are not served for the initial
two-week period following receipt of their SNAP benefits.
Please note households receiving SNAP benefits may have $2,250 in countable resources (such
as cash or money in a bank account) or $3,500 in countable resources if at least one member of
the household is age 60 or older or is disabled. SNAP applications are processed by the Florida
Department of Children and Families (DCF) with a 30-day period to review and verify information
submitted. Applicants may be eligible to receive benefits within seven (7) days of their application
if they meet additional requirements. For example, if the household has less than $100 in liquid
resources and $150 in monthly gross income, or if the household’s combined monthly gross
income and liquid resources are less than what is paid each month for rent, mortgage and utilities
expenses. DCF advised this morning that its offices would remain closed until January 2021.
Unlike the SNAP requirements (and in large part to staffing issues), the City has provided
presumptive eligibility for food assistance to residents based on the information that is self-
disclosed and has served elder households even though they did not experience an adverse
financial impact during the pandemic. However, over the course of the past several months, file
reviews and resident self-disclosures have shown that many households have:
• Returned to work earning incomes equivalent to those earned prior to the pandemic;
• Received cash assistance through the United Way and other community programs; or
• Have started to receive SNAP benefits in greater amounts than self-disclosed or reported
varying dates of benefit receipt.
To ensure that it can assert that it did what it could to prevent abuse of finite resources, the City
advised program participants two weeks in advance that it would be seeking income verification
to ensure that needy households continue to receive services. Participants were asked to provide
their latest bank statements at their October food pick-up. For those who do not have bank
statements or refused to release this information (though assets are required to be disclosed for
SNAP benefits), the City provides an affidavit that can be signed by the applicant that provides
the opportunity for self-disclosure of income and assistance.
To date, the City has expended $243,226 in food costs – considerably less than the $700,000
approved for four months of service. Using wholesale vendors and shopping strategically, these
expenses are leveraged by food donations secured by Commissioner Richardson through other
food programs to ensure that households receive a balance of shelf-stable staples, protein,
produce, dairy and culturally-responsive food items. The program was migrated to a pantry model
as a means of reinforcing resident self-worth as the pandemic dragged into months and ensure
that families took only food they would consume to minimize waste. Staff interacted with program
participants to identify additional food needs not traditionally provided in a food bank and
expanded its selection to include coffee (American and Cuban), oil, and seasonings, among
others.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to see me or Maria Ruiz, Department
Director, Office of Housing and Community Services.
JLM/AH/MR
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COVID-19 Food Pantry Program
Certification of Need
Head of Household/ Applicant Information
Applicant Name (Head of Household)
Co-Applicant Name
Address/Unit #
Telephone
Email Address
Other Members of Household
Name
Date of Birth
Relation
□ Offspring
□ Other
Financial Contribution to Household
$
Name
Date of Birth
Relation
□ Offspring
□ Other
Financial Contribution to Household
$
Name
Date of Birth
Relation
□ Offspring
□ Other
Financial Contribution to Household
$
Name
Date of Birth
Relation
□ Offspring
□ Other
Financial Contribution to Household
$
Name
Date of Birth
Relation
□ Offspring
□ Other
Financial Contribution to Household
$
1. Please indicate your current monthly household income (exclusive of child support benefits):
$
2. Please indicate your household’s current SNAP/Food Stamps allocation for all household members:
$
Please indicate the date of receipt for your SNAP/Food Stamp benefits. If more than one, please provide:
SNAP Service Date/ Beneficiary 1
SNAP Service Date/ Beneficiary 2
SNAP Service Date/ Beneficiary 3
3. Please advise if your household has received any of the following services since February 1, 2020:
□ Rent Assistance □ Cash Assistance □ Food Assistance
□ Rapid Rehousing Assistance □ Utility Assistance
Please list the agencies or community groups which provided the services above to you and your household:
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Statement of Federal Support:
This organization is supported with Federal funding. According to Title 18, Section 1001 of the U.S. Code, it is a felony for any person to knowingly and willingly make false or fraudulent statement to any department of the United States Government. By signing this Document, I certify under penalty of perjury, that all the information on this application is correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, and I acknowledge that such information is subject to verification. I authorize the release of said information to local, State and/or Federal agencies and to City of Miami Beach staff within five years of this date.
Applicant Certification:
I hereby acknowledge that Florida Statute 817 provides that willful false statements or misrepresentation concerning
income and assets or liabilities relating to financial condition is a misdemeanor of the first degree and is punishable by
fines and imprisonment provided under §775.082 or §775.83 or §775.084.
Applicant Name
Signature
Date
Co-Applicant Name
Signature
Date
DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A4EDD13-99BC-49FA-ACC5-437B160F4955