Food given to 175 families

• Volunteers

Lowell Anderson | Echo Press Volunteers at this month’s United Way Mobile Food Drop helped about 175 families stock up on food. The average family at the food drop receives around 70 to 100 pounds of free food. The event took place on Monday at the New Life Christian Church in Alexandria.
• Filling boxes

Lowell Anderson | Echo Press After filling boxes with food inside the church, families also had the chance to get soda pop, potatoes, and other items before getting into their vehicles.
• Food

Lowell Anderson | Echo Press Food available ranged from fresh vegetables, canned food and dry goods, to beverages and snack foods. An average of 20,000 pounds of food is delivered for each United Way food drop.

Talk about it

Did you know that on average about 20,000 pounds of food are delivered during each United Way food drop?

And did you know that on average, each family receives anywhere from 70 to 100 pounds of food – about two to three baskets full?

And, there are anywhere from 60 to 100 volunteers who help out each month at the Mobile Food Drop?

According to Jessica Boyer, director of United Way of Pope and Douglas Counties, the Mobile Food Drop was started in July of 2009.

At this month’s food drop, which took place Monday, December 27 at New Life Christian Church, there were about 175 families who received food. Boyer noted that on average, each family has between three and four members.

Food received by the families included, but is not limited to, noodles, bread, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, fresh produce, oatmeal, cereal and canned goods, according to Boyer.

The United Way’s Mobile Food Drop is sponsored by the Community Impact Coalition, a group of health and human services agencies that meet and work together to find ways to help individuals have a better life.

Funds are raised locally to make it possible for North Country Food Bank to bring food by semitruck for the food drop. Boyer said the United Way also works with Henry’s Foods and Douglas County Outreach Food Shelf for food.

The next food drop is scheduled for Thursday, January 27 at New Life Christian Church in Alexandria. The food drop will run from 11:30 a.m. until the food runs out. Volunteers are always needed, said Boyer.

Volunteer positions vary from set-up to intake to runners. All help is welcome anytime between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

For more information or to find out how to get involved, visit the website www.uwdp.org.

Tags: local news, united way, mobile food drop, news, food, family