Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of families struggle to keep food on their tables, causing them to turn to local food drives either through their children’s school, or another outlet. 

The Miami Dolphins started their food relief program back in June 2020 in an attempt to eliminate this problem and help those in need of groceries due to the strain of the pandemic. 

For the past eight months, Centerplate – the food, beverage and retail partner of the team – has made most of the meals. The Dolphins announced and originally planned to distribute a minimum of 1,000 meals each weekday. 

At the beginning of the project, the owner of the Dolphins, Stephen Ross, pledged two million dollars towards the commitment of the food relief program and stated the goal of raising an additional one million dollars within the South Florida community. 

“When I had first heard about the project I thought it was a really cool thing they were doing and that it could really help out members of the community,” Lucas Mendez, Palmetto senior and lifelong Dolphins fan said. “People are really struggling because of Covid financially, mentally, all of that it’s really put a strain on people’s lives.”

The program reached their one million dollar goal back in February and continues to raise more.

The Miami Dolphins website claims that in February, they distributed 37,666 meals. Apart from working with Centerplate, the program also partners with local minority owned restaurants and they claimed to have partnered with 32 of these businesses in February as well. 

Since their opening on June 1, 2020, the program has distributed 371,368 meals and partnered with 91 local restaurants.

“I’m impressed with how much the local community has been contributing. Lot’s of families are being provided for — that’s amazing,” Mendez said.

Individuals in need of the assistance this program provides can gain access to it by filling out a google form meal voucher request found on the Miami Dolphins website. 

Last Friday, to further their efforts the Dolphins teamed up with Florida Technical College’s Culinary Arts Program to further their food relief efforts. 

Together, they hosted a drive-up food distribution event, providing nourishment to hundreds of families.

The hot meals consisted of either barbeque chicken or pulled pork with sides such as coleslaw and dinner rolls. 

The Dolphins continue to provide and take care of the people in their city in any way they can.