LOCAL NEWS

Food Boxes to be distributed free to Grady County residents


An estimated 1,500 boxes of food will be distributed from 1-4 pm on Saturday October 24th at the Michigan Avenue Baptist Church at 728 W. Michigan Avenue in Chickasha. The distribution of dairy, protein and produce is part of the USDA’s Covid-19 relief effort called Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
 According to the information distributed by Michigan Avenue Baptist Church, the distribution of boxes is on a first come first served basis and all residents of Grady County qualify to receive one.
 The distribution will be done in a contactless drive-thru fashion. People are asked to remain in their vehicles and volunteers will load groceries into cars. Social distancing guidelines will be followed. Everyone is asked to get in line for distribution by following a specific route.
 Route: From Choctaw Ave., turn north on N. 9th St., proceed to Oklahoma Ave. and turn east, proceed to N. 6th St. and turn south, proceed two blocks and then turn west on Michigan Avenue, proceed to 8th St and turn north.
 On September 26th, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that more than 100 million food boxes have been distributed in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
 Through this program, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is partnered with national, regional and local distributors, whose workforces have been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service businesses, to purchase up to $4 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products from American producers of all sizes. The program supplies food boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meat products and a combination box. Distributors package these products into family-sized boxes, then transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.
 Earlier this month, the Department announced it had entered into contracts with 50 entities for the third round of food box deliveries, which include contracts to purchase up to $1 billion authorized by President Donald J. Trump.
 The first round of distribution on May 15-June 30 distributed 35.6 million food boxes. The second round from July 1-August 31 distributed 50 million boxes. An extension on round two allowed for an additional 15.1 million boxes to be distributed between September 1-18.
 “It is incredible to think that in a little more than five months, this food box program has gone from an idea to a reality that has provided more than 100 million boxes of nutritious foods to people in need and along the way has helped to keep farmers and ranchers in business and allowed Americans working in our nation’s food supply chain to get back to work,” said Secretary Perdue. “I have been meeting with food banks and recipients across the country and it’s been heartening to hear all the positive feedback on how the program has saved businesses and fed Americans in need. We are now into the third round of deliveries and we’re working harder than ever to continue to build on the success of the program.”

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