More than 250 families participated in a food giveaway at People Helping People in Republic this week. By the time the two-hour event was over, more than 11,000 pounds of food donated by Ozarks Food Harvest had been distributed.
Five local churches helped put the event together with People Helping People and Ozarks Food Harvest. The National Guard also provided some logistical support, which PHP President Gala Wilson said was invaluable.
“When the National Guard got here, they’ve done this before and they knew exactly what to do, how to set it up, and had it running smooth within 15 minutes,” she said.
At times, the car line stretched from the back of the People Helping People parking lot on Pine to the east end of of McCulloch Elementary. Families received their choice of ham, chicken, or fish; plus fresh fruit and vegetables, yogurt, eggs, and canned food.
People Helping People kept some of the food that wasn’t given away for future distribution times. Those typically happen every Tuesday, and residents are asked to call ahead for those.
Wilson said it was gratifying for People Helping People to be a part of the giveaway.
“Our motto is recycling kindness, and this is kindness magnified because these people are going to be able to feed their kids. It’s just amazing. It’s going to help their budget, not having to buy groceries, and still being able to help their families,” she said.