HAFB hosts mobile pantry in Ironton

Published 12:46 am Sunday, March 3, 2013

 

More than 60 Lawrence County residents braved rainy conditions to receive food for their families through the Huntington Area Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry Program Tuesday.

The giveaway fed a total of 221 individuals.

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“People were happy to see us as always in Lawrence County,” said Justin Murphy, the food bank’s agency relations coordinator. “We were able to distribute a lot of food to individuals who truly need and value it.”

The mobile pantry was the fourth giveaway by the HAFB in Lawrence County and the second one to take place in Ironton. The first Ironton giveaway saw a turnout of more than 400 individuals and fed nearly 1,300 people altogether.

HAFB currently has 10 permanent pantries throughout the county.

Tuesday, Campbell Chapel Freewill Baptist church in Ironton signed on to become the eleventh. Volunteers from the church also helped with Tuesday’s mobile pantry.

Mobile pantries are a temporary solution to help serve the food-insecure. According to Feeding America there are more than 12,000 food-insecure people in Lawrence County.

“This is definitely one of our more underserved areas, so it is always a great feeling to place the food directly in the hands of the people,” said Sasha Spence, the food bank’s program coordinator.

The food bank will continue to host mobile pantries in Lawrence County while continuing to establish permanent sites.

The Huntington Area Food Bank is a 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit organization affiliated with Feeding America, the largest hunger relief agency in the United States. It services nearly 200 agencies in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

HAFB receives products from Feeding America, USDA, local donors, regional grocers, restaurants, farmers, food manufacturers and food processors.