Food Banks Prep For Holidays

The shelves are pretty full moving in to the holiday season at the  Montgomery Area Food Bank.

 

That’s partially because the group just expanded a few months ago into this 2 million dollar, 26 thousand square foot building.

 

Executive Director Parke Hinman says that’s kept them from turning away donations.

 

“It would be nice if donated food came in at a level stream we could plan, but it doesn’t. It’s like this. So, what you see here is the advantage that this added space gives us,” said Hinman.

 

The bank has everything from canned goods to fresh produce.

 

But workers and volunteers don’t hand out food themselves. That would be nearly impossible to do for the 35 counties covered by the food bank.

Instead, they hand it over to groups like Faith Crusades Ministry, a group that feeds the hungry every other week..

And this day just happens to be the ministry’s biggest day of the year. 

 

“We just excited. We’re excited every year to do it. In fact we’ve been doing it 20 something years here and the people enjoy it. They know they’re going to get it. They’re going to get chicken, and greens. Just name it, it’s out there,” said Curtis Brower, leader of the ministry.

 

Hundreds of people waited their turn to walk through the line and leave with what they could carry.  People like debra boswell.

 

“This means having a little bit more food to cook and put on the table,” said Boswell.

 

After a word of prayer, the line started to move.

 

Boswell waited from 4 in the morning until noon for her turn. But she says what she picked up today is about more than just filling her plate on Thanksgiving DAY.

 

“This means doing for myself, it’s going out to my neighbors and my elders who are homebound and sharing more of a meal with them than just for Thanksgiving but for the day after thanksgiving,” said Boswell.