Rich Wise of Chicora operates a skid loader, moving pallets of food at the Pittsburgh Food Bank distribution at Lernerville Speedway recently.Harold Aughton/Butler Eagle

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit Butler County in March 2020, the Alliance for Nonprofit Resources (ANR) has handed out more than 500,000 pounds of food to those in need.

A portion of that food has been distributed through food pantries across the county, especially when Gov. Tom Wolf suspended the signature and income requirements because of the pandemic. Anyone who needed food in a hurry could get it, said Sandy Curry, manager for Community Partnership, which works with ANR.

Curry said both of those requirements have been reinstated, which has slowed the influx of people using food pantries along with another factor.

“For some of our pantries, we are seeing a decrease in numbers because of the increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits,” Curry said.

Community Partnership also has organized monthly free food distributions in collaboration with the ANR and Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank.

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Sue Leinenbach, director of the Butler County Food Bank, gives the all clear to move traffic during the Pittsburgh Food Bank food distribution held at Lernerville Speedway.Harold Aughton/Butler Eagle

Diane Iman of St. Johns United Church of Christ in Evans City directs traffic at the Pittsburgh Food Bank distribution at Lernerville Speedway.Harold Aughton/Butler Eagle