We live in some unprecedented times. Many of us are fortunate to have enough food to eat and a roof over our heads, but others are not so lucky. Food insecurity is a real issue even when we aren't dealing with the corona virus. When you add unemployment, furloughs, and uncertainty about life, the mix gets tricky. Many organizations are rallying to try to find food to help fill the void. An email came to me early in the week asking for volunteers to help build emergency food boxes for those in need in Pulaski County. I thought it was something I could do to help. Manned with gloves and a mask I made it to Barton Coliseum at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds this morning by 8:45 a.m.
and by 9 we had a full line running building a box of over 50 pounds of food.
Our line was tasked with filling non-perishable items, flour, sugar, cornmeal, soup, pasta, peanut butter, etc.
Once the boxes were filled, they went to another station where a bag of fresh apples, oranges, and potatoes were added. Tomorrow when they pick up, they will also get frozen meat and vegetables.
Many of the workers were staff of CADC but there were a host of us volunteers as well. I wasn't too smart--I should have opted for one of the lighter weight stations, but instead I was on the flour station. I loaded over 500 pounds of flour in 5 pound bags into the boxes or onto the table from the laded pallets.
They had another 400 pound to go after I left! That is the nice thing about being retired, you can go home if you want to!
Tomorrow 2000 families in need can drive through and pick up a box. Food is either donated or purchased through a grant.
People helping people is wonderful!