Resolution 2020-31265 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-31265
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF
THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE AND
APPROVING A FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM FOR THE BENEFIT OF
VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY COVID-19, TO BE
ADMOINISTERED BY THE CITY'S OFFICE OF HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY SERVICES, TO PROVIDE FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR
UP TO 600 HOUSEHOLDS, FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO FOUR MONTHS,
FOR AN ESTIMATED COST OF $700,000, WHICH COSTS WOULD BE
ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT BY THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY(FEMA).
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected our community and
residents in a variety of ways, including mass unemployment and the correlating need for
emergency services including food, rent and utility assistance; and
WHEREAS, the City began to receive an increase in food assistance requests the week
of March 16, 2020, and began responding to food requests through funds it had available
through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP); and
WHEREAS, households requesting assistance were provided with food packages that
included shelf-stable food that included rice, beans, canned vegetables and crackers, among
other items; and
WHEREAS, the first delivery under this initiative was made on March 20th with a total of
70 households received these packages; and
WHEREAS, once the need outgrew resources under the Emergency Food and Shelter
Program, resources were shifted so as to leverage Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) and General Fund resources with a donation of $10,000 funds from Aryln Cypen to
purchase additional food; and
WHEREAS, the City has subsequently distributed grocery packs to 643 families; and
WHEREAS, the amount of food requests began to increase on April 22nd which
coincided with the beginning of the fourth week of the month when most families who rely on
Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to feed their families typically
would rely on their own funds to feed their households; and
WHEREAS, the City currently has 929 households registered for food assistance; and
WHEREAS, in response to this significant increase in such a necessary service, the City
will establish weekly food distributions in North Beach (North Shore Youth Center) and South
Beach (Police Athletic League Building) as many of these households do not have cars and
have been unable to participate in drive-thru distributions; and
WHEREAS, the City will provide sufficient food to feed all members of registered
households for one week with shelf-stable items (including protein, cereal, bread) and fresh
produce at a cost estimated at$73 per family of four; and
WHEREAS, the City is tracking all food assistance and is ensuring that eligible
households access other avenues including SNAP and Miami-Dade County registration, as
appropriate, and ensuring that those households with SNAP benefits would be expected to
exhaust their allocations prior to requesting additional City assistance; and
WHEREAS, assuming the City begins to re-open within the next month, it is estimated
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that the need for food distribution could be sustained for the next four months as schools are
expected to reopen in September and a degree of normalcy is anticipated by September.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City Commission hereby
accept the recommendation of the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee and approve a
food distribution program for the benefit of vulnerable residents impacted by COVID-19, to be
administered by the City's Office of Housing and Community Services, to provide up to four
months, for an estimated cost of $700,000, which costs would be eligible for reimbursement by
the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA).
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 13th day of May, 2020.
ATTEST:
Dan Gelber, Mayor
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(,wRa ael E. Granado, CitylAzt
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