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Hurricane Irma: About 18,000 people show up for food benefits in Orange County Sunday

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Irma victims have three more days to get food assistance in Orange County.

About 18,000 people showed up to Camping World Stadium to the Food for Florida event.

Read: Hurricane Irma: Operations at Camping World Stadium for benefits to resume Sunday

The line for Food for Florida benefits at Camping World Stadium was suspended Saturday morning as more people arrived than case workers could handle. 

About 20,000 people packed the stadium seeking benefits Saturday.

Officials suspended the line Saturday to assess if they will be able to handle anymore people than those who have already arrived. 
Sylvia Gainer drove to the stadium before the gates opened at 7, hoping for a shorter wait, only to find a line of thousands already there. 
"Oh my God! That's all I could think of, but I wasn't turning back," said Gainer. 
About 100,000 people are expected to apply for food benefits in Orange County this weekend.
The state is bringing in extra staff to manage the huge crowds that are expected over the next few days.
More than 60,000 people have already registered for the Food for Florida event, which is meant to help people not already on public assistance who suffered some sort of loss or damage because of the storm.
People should expect to wait line for hours.
Crews spent Friday turning the stadium into a processing site.
“(We’re) working with stadium officials, our information technology team, getting all the computers set up, finalizing the tent,” said William D’Aiuto, the regional director for the Department of Children and Families.
Similar events in Brevard, Volusia and Osceola counties created huge lines that stretched out the door and left people waiting in the heat.
“We’ve been working for weeks with stadium officials, city officials, with transportation division and Orlando police,” said D’Aiuto. “They will be out and handling this as a game day to ensure there’s a smooth flow of traffic.”
Registration has been spread out by alphabet with Saturday for last names beginning in letters A-F.
“We encourage individuals to come based on their last name, however, if they’re here we do not plan to turn them away,” said D’Aiuto.
Those who live in neighboring counties but could not make it to their county’s registration events will not be turned away.
Roughly 15,000 Orange County residents have already been served at other events.
People in Seminole County are encouraged to go to Orlando Live Events in Casselberry. That event lasts until Oct. 27. 

Preventing Fraud

With so many applicants expected, officials said they are prepared to spot potential fraud cases.
“Our eligibility staff are trained to look for information that does not look correct,” D’Aiuto said.
DCF said investigators have already reviewed more than 27,000 applicants at other sites and stopped more than $7 million in benefits from being fraudulently distributed.
“We’re here to help those who are in need, and unfortunately, no matter what government program it may be, there are people who try to break the law,” said D’Aiuto.