There are no words to express the shock, sadness, and heartbreak surrounding the collapse of the Champlain Tower South condominium in Surfside over 3 weeks ago..

As a native New Yorker, it is hard not to flash back 20 years ago to 9/11/2001 when the World Trade Center towers fell.

This felt as raw, and once again, like on 9/11 we all felt helpless not being able to do anything. The images over and over again of the collapse, the first responders frantically looking for survivors and the July 4th final demolition of the unstable remaining portion will stay with us for a long time.

But, for many of Miami’s best restaurants, there was something that could be done.

Food is Love. Food is Community.

Food and meal donations poured in, at one point overwhelming the Fire Rescue Command Center, World Central Kitchen arrived with food trucks, and the Red Cross set up families of victims, survivors, and evacuated guests at the Solara timeshare next door to the Champlain in area hotels. Condo and hotel evacuees fled their buildings barefoot, without ID, money, and personal belongings.

Food Rescue US- South Florida also mobilized, providing chef-prepared meals first to the evacuees and guests from Solara staying at SLS Brickell, Staybridge Suites, and Cambria Suites and then to the grieving families staying at the Residence Inn by Marriott.

Over 30 restaurants have provided over 1400 meals, many delivered by the chefs themselves or picked up and delivered by Food Rescue US volunteers. Freshly prepared lunches and dinners have been delivered every day for the past three weeks with our final delivery on Saturday 7/17, with COTE Miami providing both meat and vegetarian options.

MIAbites in collaboration with Food Rescue US would like to thank all of the amazing chefs and restaurants who poured their hearts and compassion into every meal.

Special thanks also to Surfside residents and friends; Sara Liss, Becky Randall and Elise Harris, for being the “ground crew” these past few weeks.

Whether it was freshly made Sullivan Street Bakery deli sandwiches from local Surfside restaurant, Josh’s Deli or Braised beef over rice with plantains and homemade chocolate bread pudding from Chef Michelle Bernstein,

or Chef Niven Patel braving hours of traffic to personally deliver Chicken Piri Piri from Mamey, every meal was our restaurant communities way to help Surfside and offer comfort to the grieving families.

Thank you :

Bagel Bar

Big Mamas BBQ

Café La Trova

Chef Creole

COTE

Coyo Taco

Divieto

Doce Provisions

Foozo Pizza

Harrys Pizza

Insomnia Cookies

Josh's Deli

Jungle Island

Kilgore

L'Artisane

Lil Greenhouse

LittleBrazil

Mamey

Michaels Genuine

Naomis

Oggis

Open Kitchen

Pamela Wasabi

Pincho

RED

Rosies

Society BBQ

SoHo House

Starbucks

Taquiza

Three

Tijuana Flats

TUR

Yardbird

As we wrap up our meals, special thanks also to the Red Cross, for allowing us access to the families to be able to share these meals.

Food is Love. Food is Community. Be The Rescue.