A federal emergency food relief program found a new location, and set new dates, to aid qualifying residents who lost food during Hurricane Irma.
Applications will be taken Nov. 5 through Nov. 8, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City.
Similar events have been staged in counties in the Tampa Bay area that have drawn tens of thousands of applicants.
The events have been plagued with reports of larger-than- expected crowds, hours-long waits, and traffic gridlock.
Previously, Pasco County commissioners had approved an agreement with the Florida Department of Children and Family Services to allow an emergency food relief program at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center, off Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.
The department, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is administering the Food for Florida relief program.
Before the Pasco County Commission initially approved the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center, they raised concerns about the location because it’s on a busy corridor and at a recreation complex with youth athletic activities. After approving it, they quickly regretted the decision, and on Oct. 16 sent a letter to DCF officials withdrawing from the agreement.
The new site has one feature lacking at the recreation center – 20 acres for parking.
Fair association officials also have years of experience in handling crowds and traffic. Some of their staff will help with parking and other activities.
“We have traffic flow and people flow down to an art,” said Dicky Brown, president of the fair association.
The rental agreement with DCF was finalized on Oct. 18, Brown said.
The agency will have the use of two buildings, including restroom facilities, and an open field for parking.
It’s a major undertaking, and a strain on any community, Brown added. “But, we can get people off (State Road) 52 faster than anywhere because we have 20 acres of parking.”
The search for a new site was a countywide effort among local governments and agencies, including county commissioners, the school district and law enforcement, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells Jr.
“It’s (fairgrounds) the only location that made sense and everyone worked together,” said Wells, who is on the fair association’s board.
The DCF will have hundreds of employees on site during the four-day program. Law enforcement from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and Dade City will aid in traffic and crowd control.
Residents who come to the site can qualify for food replacement for September and October, based on income and losses suffered during Hurricane Irma.
People who currently receive food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, aren’t eligible. Instead, they will be compensated with extra benefits through the monthly program.
For eligible applicants, Disaster-SNAP, or D-SNAP debit-style cards, will be issued if the applicant lived or worked in one of the 48 declared federal disaster counties from Sept. 5 to Oct. 4.
To speed up the process, DCF officials encourage applicants to preregister at least a day before coming to an application site.
For information, visit Dcf.state.fl.us/programs/access/fff/.
Published October 25, 2017
