Coronavirus: FFP Partners with Matthew 25: Ministries, Knights of Columbus to Help Florida
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (May 18, 2020) Food For The Poor is teaming up with Matthew 25: Ministries and the Florida State Council of the Knights of Columbus to help families throughout Florida affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
A 53-foot tractor-trailer load of essential goods was delivered last Wednesday to St. Bonaventure Church, in Davie, which will oversee distribution to several community organizations in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
One additional container was shipped to Catholic Charities in Miami.
Matthew 25: Ministries provided the relief items to Food For The Poor. The Knights of Columbus, Florida State Council and St. Bonaventure shared the delivery costs.
The items include hard-to-find toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies, laundry detergent pods, dishwashing liquid, shampoo and conditioner, diapers, batteries, paper cups, napkins and blankets.
Scott A. O’Connor, State Deputy, Florida State Council of the Knights of Columbus, said the partnership with Food For The Poor fits with a new council initiative called Leave No Neighbor Behind, an order-wide service program to assist people during the crisis.
“This opportunity to take donated goods and bring them into Florida and distribute them to families in need fit our program really well,” O’Connor said. “We’re very happy to be here and help out with much-needed supplies.”
While Food For The Poor primarily works internationally, the dire local needs have captured the charity’s attention.
The charity has worked with local Knights of Columbus councils in the past, but this is the first time it is partnering with the state organization. In the past two years, local councils joined other community groups to pack meals at Food For The Poor’s Join The Pack events in Boca Raton.
“We’re deeply grateful to Matthew 25: Ministries for providing these goods and to the Knights of Columbus, Florida State Council for providing the funds to get the shipment here,” Food For The Poor President/CEO Ed Raine said. “We know the community is going to be very happy to receive this. As we continue our efforts to help the people in the countries we serve who are suffering because of the coronavirus pandemic, we’re also honored to have the privilege of helping our neighbors.”
The Rev. Edmond Prendergast of St. Bonaventure Catholic Church said he was heartened to see the donated goods and know how many families in need will benefit.
“We know many people are hurting now. The needs are great,” Fr. Prendergast said. “People are helping one another and taking care of each other, trying to do what they can.”
Last Wednesday, workers unloaded the truck and staged the pallets inside the parish center, where they will be organized into smaller distributions.
The goods will be distributed to the Pantry of Broward, which will in turn share items with the Salvation Army and Miami Rescue Mission, said Christine Daibel, St. Bonaventure Parish Administrator. Other beneficiaries will include the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Camillus House, in Miami, and Children’s Harbor, in Pembroke Pines.
To see Food For The Poor, Florida State Council of the Knights of Columbus and St. Bonaventure talk about the donation, click: www.foodforthepoor.org/stbonaventure
Catholic Charities, in Miami, received its container of goods on May 7.
“Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami is pleased to be collaborating with Food For The Poor and the Knights of Columbus to help those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in our tri-county area,” said Peter Routsis-Arroyo, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami.
“This collaboration will help us to have a continuous supply of food and household supplies, which are so needed right now due to the shutdown and economic hardship that individuals and families are encountering,” he said.
Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor primarily in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicine, educational materials, homes, support for orphaned and abandoned children, care for the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.
Michael Turnbell
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
[email protected]