Miami Beach will distribute $100 Publix gift cards to residents as COVID-19 aid
Low-income Miami Beach residents who need financial help due to COVID-19 can apply to receive a $100 Publix gift card from the city.
The city, which announced the program Thursday, is distributing 1,000 gift cards on Tuesday — first at 9 a.m. at Miami Beach Police headquarters (1100 Washington Ave.) and then at 3 p.m. at the North Beach Bandshell (7275 Collins Ave.).
The program is for Miami Beach residents only. To receive a gift card, recipients must present ID and sign an application listing their household income and confirming that COVID-19 hurt them financially.
There is a limit of one card per household.
The program is for residents earning $51,200 or less for a single person and $73,100 or less for a family of four.
The city encourages those interested to print out and sign the application prior to arrival to cut down wait times. Applications won’t be accepted online or through the mail.
The application can be found at the city’s website.
(https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/events/grocery-gift-card-giveaway/)
The cities of Miami, Hialeah and North Miami have similar programs for their residents.
Miami Beach purchased the gift cards from Publix because the supermarket chain operates four stores in the city, a Miami Beach spokeswoman said.
Interim City Manager Raul Aguila introduced the program during his first week as the city’s top administrator following the departure Friday of Jimmy Morales. Aguila said the city paid for the program using “contingency” funds, which he expects to be reimbursed as part of the federal CARES Act, and other funds earmarked for the city’s annual staff holiday party.
“We have money that we allocate annually for a holiday party,” he said. “Obviously this year, we’re not having a holiday party.”
Aguila, speaking during a webinar Thursday, said there remains a need for assistance during the pandemic. Commissioner David Richardson has helped organize weekly food distributions over the last several months. On Thursday, Commissioner Michael Góngora helped pass out to-go meals and cleaning supplies to residents.
“We’re still having food drives regularly,” he said. “We’re cognizant of the fact that we need to do everything we can do.”
This story was originally published December 17, 2020 at 5:33 PM.
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