Hundreds of vehicles slowly snaked their way through Butler Township's Alameda Park on Tuesday.

The line of cars, trucks and SUVs started long before the winding way past empty picnic shelters and the 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 are 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 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 coronavirus, many people are relying on food banks to help keep food on the table.

For those in need, the emergency drive-up food 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.

This is an excerpt of a larger article that will appear in Wednesday's paper.