MBCC and Centerplate celebrate 1-million meal milestone
Miami Beach, Fla. (October 30, 2020, Source: Centerplate) – Three months after surpassing their 250,000-meal milestone, the Centerplate team at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) has now made more than 1 million meals prepared for Miami-Dade seniors who have been home-bound since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Centerplate, the exclusive food and beverage provider for the MBCC, partnered with DeliverLean in mid-April to prepare and deliver meals to thousands of at-risk senior citizens every day.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, families in the South Florida area have been affected by furloughs, layoffs, financial challenges and food insecurity. Currently, one in seven South Florida households are considered food insecure, and that percentage is only rising. With the MBCC presently in service as an Alternate Care facility and COVID-19 testing site, the team turned their attention to feeding those in need. The meals – which total to more than 380 tons of food – have consisted of healthy, nutritious food offerings including pasta, Bolognese sauce, green beans, chicken, cous cous, artichokes and more. Centerplate staff work 7 days a week planning and preparing these meals to then be delivered door-to-door by DeliverLean. Utilizing the most effective health and safety precautions, the team has been successful in feeding the need in their community while still ensuring the safety of everyone involved.
MBCC General Manager Freddie Peterson congratulated the MBCC’s Centerplate team on the milestone. “During these difficult times it’s critical to support the most vulnerable people in our community in any way we can. MBCC is proud to have been able to repurpose our venue to not only house an alternate care facility but also Centerplate’s and DeliverLean’s partnership in support of our Miami Beach seniors.”
“Covid-19 has created a lot of ever-changing challenges to ensure the safety of our team and some cadence of business continuity. Working with Sodexo, Centerplate and all public health authorities, we have evolved a series of protocols to meet all objectives,” said Centerplate Senior Catering Sales Manager and MBCC Health Ambassador Andrew Brailsford. “The team’s commitment to the cause and the safety of everyone involved has been instrumental in the success of this project.”
To protect staff and ensure the operation moves forward on a consistent basis, the Centerplate team has implemented several new health and safety protocols. Employees are required to remain in the appropriate PPE for the duration of their shifts and are separated by Perspex shields. Three different production teams are being utilized which has allowed 30+ employees to continue working during this trying time. A Health Ambassador has been appointed to all Centerplate properties to safeguard those employees working and help conduct regular health screenings.
Learn more about the MBCC’s health and safety venue measures implemented to support of a return to live events.