Manna House Executive Director Rev. Katrina Deason said her organization was prepared to supply at least 500 families, roughly 2,000 people, with meats, canned goods, fruit juice and even snacks during a drive through food bank held Thursday. 

And by the amount of cars that lined the roadway, it appears they hit their goal.

Deason said due to social distancing required by the COVID-19 pandemic, the folks at Manna House had to think outside the box, or in their case, outside the building in order to provide meals to those in need.

Deason said they’ve restricted their food bank hours and are not allowing people inside Manna House to get their food. 

Instead they opened up the roads offering a drive through food bank recently to disburse foods needed by the community.

“You have to come up with ideas when you are in critical times,” Deason said of the drive through concept. “We won’t be able to do it the same way we always do it. It is a drive through food bank and we are asking people to come drive through if they have a food need.”

 “Hopefully get them through a few days if they have a food insecurity,” she said. “Right now it is too difficult for us to have them come in to the food bank in a normal manner. So we had to come up with something to keep the people safe, the volunteers safe…try and get that distance and still help the people.”

Deason said Manna House will continue to keep the food bank open from 10 a.m. until noon but people will have their food packs delivered to them curbside.