'A Positive Sign': Line Not Quite As Long For Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Distribution At PPG Paints Arena
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- As many continue to struggle with unemployment and feeding their families, food distribution sites have remained busy.
On Friday morning, drivers started waiting in advance at PPG Paints Arena for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank's latest food distribution.
The need is definitely still there, but one thing that was noticeable was less vehicles waiting in line.
People we talked to say that's a good sign, and it shows people are getting their benefits.
There was something a little extra for people pulling up and popping their trunk; instead of the typical two boxes of food, they were getting three.
"Today we're able to offer a 25-pound box of the fresh produce. So they'll get carrots, potatoes, cabbage," said Charlese McKinney, the Network Development Director of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
They were also able to get their typical full box of frozen meat, which is something that can be hard to find in grocery stores right now.
Organizers with the food bank say they don't anticipate dealing with a meat shortage anytime soon.
Meanwhile, workers expect to serve around 1,100 vehicles today, but it appeared the parking lots at PPG Paints Arena were not as full as weeks past.
"I think it is a positive sign," Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said.
"People are getting their benefits in, unemployment is coming through for some folks, the stimulus," McKinney said.
Fitzgerald was volunteering at today's distribution. He says he's looking forward to the county going into the "yellow phase."
"That will start to open up a little more of our economy and maybe take some of the burden off of a lot of people and what goes on in the food bank," he said.
Even if food distributions sites slow down, workers with the Food Bank say they will continue to hold distributions as the need isn't expected to go away anytime soon.
