After announcing that he would be in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami, thousands of people swarmed the House of Wings, a counter-serve restaurant, to meet Diddy. The rap mogul wasn't there for a meet-and-greet; Diddy and his Sean Combs Foundation partnered with the non-profit Teens Exercising Extraordinary Success to help distribute aid to those in need during the pandemic. There has been discouraging news for many families regarding financial assistance from the government, so Diddy decided to move things along and to help however he could.
Donning a face shield and gloves, Diddy personally gave out $50 bills to residents who stood in line for hours just to have a brief interaction with the Hip Hop star. Others in his entourage helped distribute gift cards, gift bags, and hygiene products to people waiting in the crowd, and additionally, 175 families were reportedly able to get their rent paid courtesy of the Foundation and TEES.
However, Latarcia Brown spoke with a local news station and complained that while it was made to look as if everyone went home with money, she didn't receive help. Brown did receive a gift bag from the giveaway, but she was disappointed with the contents. "SweeTARTS, my husband eats sweets," she told reporters. "Coloring book, toothpaste, crayons. No gift card, no rent paid."
The grandmother reportedly has a full house as she lives with her granddaughter and her two elderly parents. Brown claimed that she was given a gift bag before Combs even made it to the location, and after looking inside and seeing that she didn't have a gift card, she complained to one of the organizers. After that, she was asked to move along. "The lady told me if you got a gift bag you need to go,” Brown said.
Brown, who reportedly stated that she is in dire need of financial help, believes she should have been told that not everyone who attended the event would receive aid. Local activists and community leaders praised Diddy and his Foundation for their efforts. Organizers shared with reporters that it wasn't intentional for people to feel left out.
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