6,000 families line up in cars for hours at food bank as fears grow many could go hungry during coronavirus pandemic
THOUSANDS of families lined up in cars for hours on end at a Texas food bank this week, amid fears of going hungry during the coronavirus crisis.
The San Antonio Food Bank distributed around one million pounds of food to 6,000 families in one day as millions turn to charities while the crisis batters the economy.
As the deadly bug infects 466, 299 Americans, or furloughed in the past month, with 6.6 million layoffs in the first week of April.
Shocking aerial images show thousands of cars parked outside Trader’s Plaza in the City to attend the fourth food distribution initiative, dubbed “Mega Giveaway.”
Needy families waited hours for fresh fruit, vegetables and other non-perishable goods that have all but disappeared in many stores due to shoppers clearing the shelves during the COVID lockdowns.
San Antonio Food Bank President and CEO Eric Cooper said “the need is that great” after thousands showed up for help in the largest turnout yet.
“We are moving through food so fast, this is our second big distribution this week, but there are hundreds of distributions that are going on all the time,” Cooper noted.
The giveaway will be held twice weekly while the stay-home orders are in place in San Antonio and people can pre-register to attend online.
The food bank’s chief resources officer, Michael Guerra, said 5,000 families signed up for Thursday’s event – but around 1,000 more showed up.
He said each family should leave with enough food to last them or a month which is around two grocery carts full.
Pete Delgado was among the thousands queueing up Thursday, reports .
Delgado and his wife are both disabled so he arrived at Trader’s Plaza during the night to prevent them from going hungry.
Delgado said he’d “been hour here for an easy 12 hours.”
“And it’s important for me and my wife because we have nothing to eat at home,” he explained. “I brought crackers and peanut butter as a snack to get me through the night.
“We didn’t have any bread or lunch meat or anything to make some kind of lunch, a picnic for me to stay overnight, so I’ve just been munching on peanut butter and jelly and crackers.”
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