People began pulling their cars into the Church of the Annunciation parking lot in Clark Mills at 7:30 last Tuesday morning.
They waited in line for two hours and 15 minutes for The Country Pantry to open to receive food.
By the time Pantry volunteers began carrying food bags out to cars, the line stretched out into the road and the signs made by Proforma in Clinton, sponsored by Hunt Realty, helped direct the traffic flow.
By the end of the day, 314 families were served, making the total so far for April 655 families.
As the pandemic continues to cause economic hardships on every level, people are turning to free food sources in record numbers. Many of these are on a show-up basis with no form or financial information required.
Waterville Central School District’s Brothertown Connected Community program, in partnership with the Rome Alliance for Education, conducted its second free food giveaway this week. The first one in late March provided food for 450 families; this was expected to see a larger turnout.
Waterville will also be handing out milk Tuesday, May 5 at Memorial Park School from 10 a.m. to noon, and again Thursday, May 7 from 2 to 4 p.m., or until gone. Oneida County has offered each school district the opportunity to pick up milk for distribution.
Families can take up to two gallons.
The Waterville Area Food Pantry also is seeing a growing number of households served. As of April 22 food and personal care supplies were provided this month to 99 households with a total of 91 children.
Due to the overwhelming response on its first two dairy giveaways, SUNY Morrisville extended its Dairy Drive-Thru to every Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. (or until supplies are gone) every Friday until further notice on the SUNY Morrisville campus. The first free dairy Fridays…