ORLANDO, Fla. – It was a team effort from volunteers at Church in the Son on Friday as the church and Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida joined forces to make sure families have food on the table during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve just been staying in. I have an immune problem and we are trying to stay in and isolate because we don’t want anyone else to get it or anything,” said Donna VanDyke, who drove with her mother to be first in line at 5 a.m.
About 30,000 pounds of food, including fruits, produce, dairy and water, was handed out.
“For my family, we have shortage of food and so it is a great opportunity that we can come and get something that we never had,” Paulette Gillings said.
Gillings and her husband said they came to get free groceries because most stores have run out of certain items.
Let the distribution begin! Free food being handed out to families at Church in the Son. This is GETTING RESULTS right here! @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/G5JgeLT66G
— Ezzy Castro (@EzzyCastro) March 20, 2020
Bethany Andreone waited for three hours in her car with all four of her kids. She said they have been stuck at home because they do not want to get sick and are in need of meals.
“I have a type 1 diabetic daughter and with her compromised, it’s pretty scary. We don’t go out much. This is probably the only time we’ve been out in a week,” Andreone said.
Church in the Son Pastor Kenneth Bennett explained church volunteers usually give out free meals once a month at the Rosemont Neighborhood Center but decided to do it at the church this time due to the pandemic.
“There’s a lot of people in fear, but we want to give hope for people. We love them and give them groceries to take home,” Bennett said.