MIAMI LAKES, Fla. – South Florida's domestic hunger-relief organization Feeding South Florida has seen a 600 percent surge in demand for food ever since the coronavirus crisis first started.
And helping with that demand are volunteers. Erica Biorge, a financial services advisor at Memorial Hospital in Miramar, switched her work shift so she could help distribute food at a packed Miami Lakes distribution site.
"The church called and so I came," said Biorge, who said they needed more volunteers on Friday to help package and distribute food.
“So I let my job know that I’d be working the late shift tonight, so I could come and help this morning.”
Mayor Manny Cid of Miami Lakes took in the view of the long line of cars that stretched for miles.
"The need is big. A lot of folks have been out of work for over a month."
Pastor John Fortino also depends on a group of volunteers to pack up and hand out supplies at Fountain of Life Apostolic Church in northwest Miami-Dade.
"We’ve never seen anything like this. It’s been like this for three weeks. But now it’s getting bigger and the lines are getting longer and longer," said Fortino.
The food lines are also growing in Doral and Fort Lauderdale, where two food distribution sites on Friday had cars lined up before sunrise.
The lack of work amid the coronavirus has created a growing need that, for now, shows no signs of slowing down.
Biorge is hopeful. “It will pass. Everybody has to stay strong and be there for each other.”
[RELATED: When and where are the next food distributions? Check Local10.com’s list.]