Food program makes 1st delivery to Marion
Staff writer
Several volunteers helped load 180 boxes of groceries into cars at Marion’s food bank Tuesday afternoon.
The special delivery was part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Boxes program.
The program, operated by Agricultural Marketing Service as part of COVID-19 response, helps both farmers and families hurt by job losses. USDA buys fresh produce, dairy, and meat and transports it to families in need.
Gene Winkler, food bank liaison, said Tuesday was the first Farmers to Families food delivery in Marion.
“They were coming last month, but the food froze in the truck,” Winkler said.
Boxes delivered to Marion included milk, yogurt, apples, sour cream, cottage cheese, pasta sauce, oranges, and meat products including hot dogs, prepared chili, and chicken.
Marion’s delivery came through the Kansas Food Bank in Wichita.
So far, the program has distributed more than 133 million food boxes nationwide.