The Macon Program for Progress and MANNA Food Bank teamed up for another pop-up food bank on Monday and, just like before, they had no trouble giving away all the food they brought in.
The pop-up food bank, a temporary market place where individuals and families suffering from food insecurity can get free food, started at Macon Program for Progress in June, but it had to move due to high demand.
This month’s incarnation was based at the Robert C. Carpenter Community Building and offered up 12 pallets of food boxes, as well as 125 boxes of food from the USDA’s Temporary Food Assistance Program (TFAP).
MPP family and community outreach director Felicia Roberts said there was enough food for everyone who came, but only just barely. The event was scheduled to run from 2-4 p.m.
“People were lined up here at 10 in the morning,” Roberts said. “There were a lot of new faces today, too. It’s a growing need.”
Fortunately, MPP and MANNA had plenty of help. Teams from First United Methodist Church assisted in the distribution, as did volunteers from the Department of Social Services and even a group of Macon County homeschool families.
Vanessa Farmer said that helping with the food bank was a great experience for her kids that they’ll be sure to take part in again on later dates.
“My kids were really excited to do it,” Farmer said. “They had a great time and they’ve already recruited some of their friends for next time.”
Stephanie Easton just left Florida for Macon County and was surprised by the scale of the pop-up food bank. She appreciates the resources that local civic groups are putting into feeding the hungry.
“I didn’t know it was going to be that big,” Easton said. “It’s never that big where I’m from.”
MPP is currently the main outlet for MANNA’s TFAP distribution in Macon County. The program used to be a function of CareNet as well, but they lost the program’s support when they refused to stop asking to pray with applicants, which violates USDA rules.
CareNet executive director Tim Hogsed said churches and individuals have stepped up their contributions since the loss of TFAP and that has helped close the gap.
“Churches in the area have been very supportive of our decision,” Hogsed said. “We’re finding other ways to meet those needs.”
In the meantime, MANNA will continue providing food from the USDA program to Macon Program for Progress and supporting the pop-up food banks. MPP volunteers will continue to spread the word as wide as possible to help reach the food-insecure people of Macon County.
“I talk to everyone I come into contact with about it,” said MPP volunteer Mary Pulliam. “Word of mouth is a huge part of it.”
The next pop-up food bank will be held on Monday, Oct. 28. The community building is already booked for that day, so MPP will be looking for a new location to host it. Roberts hopes to hold it at the fairgrounds so that there will be enough room.