The rising cost of almost everything this year is being felt this holiday season. On the last Saturday before Christmas, food and toy giveaways were held across South Florida, providing meals and gifts for those in need on Christmas morning.
Sonia told CBS News Miami she’s been in and out of the hospital, saying that food has gotten expensive. So, she’s been getting free meals from the Brownsville Church of Christ.
“The price and the market are so spicy right now,” Sonia said. “All prices [are] moving high.”
Her friend, Christian de la Pena, said he’s spent the last year picking up groceries for her. He told CBS News Miami she can’t afford much, so this will have to do for her Christmas meal.
“Usually, Spanish people will have pork for Christmas, with a pie and stuff like that. They don’t eat anything like this,” de la Pena said. “This is American food but it’s something.”
A very expensive holiday
While many of the families here are feeling the pinch of more expensive Christmas meals, they’re also experiencing more expensive Christmas gifts.
An Associated Press and National Opinion Research Center poll found that the vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity and holiday gifts in recent months.
Faith Bullard wanted to find some last-minute holiday deals for gifts today, but then she found out about the toy drive at the church this morning. She entered a raffle, and now her nephew and son have won new bikes.
“They’re both happy,” Bullard said. “I’m thankful because it’s expensive — the bike is expensive.”
Church leadership told CBS News Miami they got donations to help supply all the food and gifts, saying this year saw a bigger need than any other in the last decade that they’ve held this event.
“We’ve seen so many more families come to take advantage of these food items — milk, juice, fruits, vegetables, mixed items — they can’t afford right now,” said church organizer Sydney Colebrook Mobley.
The church said if they have any leftover toys or food, they’ll go door-knocking on nearby apartments and give the rest away.
