UPDATE at 2:30 p.m.
The Foodbank reports that they served 667 households today, with 521 of those being new families to use their services.
This was actually a lower number than anticipated, but Chief Development Officer Lee Truesdale says, “A lot of people are still in need for the first time and possibly families that normally need assistance are likely going to area pantries and the drive thru.”
News Center 7 will continue to report on food distributions in the area as the community navigates life with COVID-19.
FIRST REPORT
The Foodbank is holding their second mass food distribution since COVID-19 began at the Nutter Center today.
Cars started lining up 4 hours before the start time, forcing organizers to start an hour and a half before their noon start time.
“We’re here a lot earlier because I don’t know what the line is going to look like and I don’t want them to say I’m sorry,” Valorie, who was in line at the distribution, told News Center 7’s Kayla Courvell.
Valorie said she was at the last distribution in April and was turned away after waiting for three hours before getting food due to major traffic back ups on roads around the Nutter Center.
Chief Development Officer, Lee Truesdale said that is one issue they did not want to have happen again.
“It’s really trial and error,” Truesdale said. “We planned for 2500 families today, last time we planned for 1500 and we almost hit that.”
To account for the amount of people the Foodbank is serving, organizers made major changes including hosting the distribution behind the Nutter Center in Lot 8, which allows more traffic flow through other areas around the Nutter Center and not as much on areas like Colonial Glenn Highway.
Organizers also created two lines for cars to file into and four distribution lines, as opposed to the previous one.
And, the Foodbank has hired 12 new people since the last distribution.
“We know the pandemic is still impacting a lot of families,” Truesdale said. “People are still struggling to get back on their feet.”
There will be another distribution on Thursday at their location on Armor Place starting at 10 A.M.