by Sarah Thomack
St. Joseph Post
The USDA recently launched a program to distribute fresh produce, dairy or meat to those in need.
The Farmers to Families Food Box program purchases those items from suppliers who may otherwise have to throw them away due to less demand from restaurants and other food service businesses.
Keys Christian Fellowship Church Pastor Richard Bradley says their church is connected with a disaster relief organization and stepped in with volunteers to help distribute the food in St. Joseph.
"We were just pretty much instructed to get the food into the community and that’s what we’re doing,” Bradley says. “We’re not checking IDs, we’re not checking addresses, you don’t have to live in St. Joe, you don’t have to live in Buchanan County. The food is available and we want to get it into the community."
Bradley says the food distributed includes a gallon of milk and a box of produce or dairy per family. Bradley adds that as of Monday, they had distributed just over 8,800 boxes of food and milk.
The food distribution takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday through June 26th in the East Hills Mall Parking lot. For more information, visit the Farmers to Families St. Joseph, MO Facebook page.