Food giveaway serves 1,000 hungry families
BUTLER TWP — Hundreds of vehicles slowly snaked their way through Alameda Park on Tuesday.
The line of cars, trucks and SUVs waiting to receive food from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank started long before the winding road past empty picnic shelters and abandoned playground — nearly one-half mile from either direction on New Castle Road.
“We've been in line about an hour,” said Karen Everetts. “It's awesome they're doing this. It's good people coming together to help out. People needed it.”
The Butler woman was among the throng of residents from throughout the region who came to the county's first major emergency food distribution to receive two 25-pound boxes of food given per vehicle. A bartender by trade, Everetts hasn't worked since the coronavirus pandemic started last month, adding how every little bit helps.
And she certainly wasn't alone in her thoughts.
With unemployment rising due to the pandemic, many people are relying on food banks to help keep food on the table.
For those in need, the emergency drive-up distribution was a first of its kind held outside Allegheny County by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
Working locally with the Alliance for Nonprofit Resources, Butler County Parks and Recreation and the Butler County Sheriff's Office, the effort served 1,000 families — even delivering some boxes to elderly shut-ins living in senior apartment complexes near the park.
“We are trying to stretch resources,” said Sandy Curry, community partnership manager for ANR, who helped organize the distribution effort. “We're really grateful for this. Food is the No. 1 need across the state right now.”
Charlese McKinney, network development director for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, said the organization is looking to expand its efforts to keep community members fed during the pandemic.
Butler mom Bethany Wolf feels the pinch of the pandemic on her family. Waiting in line for nearly two hours, she said her family finds itself trying to stretch her small paycheck to make all the ends meet — and still buy food.“I have kids. And with school out, it's hard getting food with their dad losing his job and I'm not bringing in enough to pay the bills and get food,” she said.After hosting several similar emergency food distribution events in Pittsburgh, McKinney said the organization started looking to other hard-hit areas.“We never have a problem getting people out and uplift their neighbors,” McKinney said, adding that each family was being provided with about 40 meals. “This health crisis has really amplified this (food insecurity).”Curry said more than 30 volunteers came out to help with the effort — in addition to staff from ANR, the sheriff's office and other local agencies involved in the distribution.“I am just amazed and very happy to be able to help out,” said volunteer Netty Clinton. “I think about all the people living paycheck to paycheck. None of them have gotten any unemployment yet. How are they surviving?”
