Second Harvest delivers despite pandemic
(Photo by TONIA BROOKS) Second Harvest Inland Empire volunteers wore the appropriate safety precautions to ensure safe handling of food during the event.
Fresh produce and eggs were just a sample of the many items available during Wednesday’s emergency food delivery.
Fresh eggs were among the varied food items that the Second Harvest Inland Empire nonprofit group delivered to those in line on Wednesday, April 22, at the Boundary County Fairgrounds.
Photos by TONIA BROOKS
(Photo by TONIA BROOKS) The Second Harvest Inland Empire food delivery truck arrived early Wednesday, April 22 to offload much needed food items to families and individuals who waited in line within their vehicles.
Second Harvest Inland Empire has a mission. The non-profit organization works hard to fight hunger by bringing community resources together. The organization has been helping communities with hunger relief efforts since 1971.
Since that time, they have distributed more than 2 million pounds of free food each month.
Second Harvest helps communities in 26 counties scattered across Eastern Washington and North Idaho, including Boundary County.
On Wednesday, April 22, Second Harvest was at it again, delivering free food to anyone in need and present to receive it at the Boundary County Fairgrounds.
In the past, the organization members distributed food to local Boundary County families in a more personal manner. At times, the lines were more than 100 people long.
This time, with the distancing requirements concerning the COVID-19 virus issues, the organization had to make some interesting changes to get the food to the folks who rely on the deliveries.
Instead of people parking and lining up to receive the provisions, they had to be able to stay in their vehicles. Vehicles were directed through the fairgrounds parking lot to line up in two lines. The customers were directed to stay in the vehicle and drive up to one side or the other of the delivery trick to receive their food packages.
From well before the stated 11 a.m. start time to 1 p.m., vehicles lined up at the Boundary County Fairgrounds’ east side entrance.
Second Harvest volunteer staff determined that they had enough food provisions to supply a total of 250 vehicles.
Free produce, meats, eggs, and other perishable items were supplied to families and individuals who arrived, and every vehicle was allocated the same amount.
Second Harvest Inland Empire can be reached online at 2-harvest.org or by calling 509-545-0787.
The next Mobile Market emergency food delivery in Bonners Ferry is scheduled for May 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church, with the location subject to change. The organization delivers food to the Bonners Ferry area monthly.
