Hundreds line up for drive-thru food distribution in Macon

The Middle Georgia Community Food Bank handed out an estimated 30,000 meals Thursday in the largest relief effort the organization had ever done.

The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office estimated between 1,000 and 1,200 vehicles went through the Macon Coliseum parking lot, community volunteer Jeff Battcher said. Families took home boxes with enough food to feed a family of four for a week. Some people did have to be turned away, but additional food will be distributed through area food pantries.

The drive-thru food distribution was organized after the nonprofit started receiving calls for assistance from families impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We are seeing a tripling of need at our food pantries,” Battcher said. “We’re seeing just a tremendous increase in need and today is just no different from every day.”

The Middle Georgia Food Bank is in 24 counties and serves 175 food pantries in addition to the nonprofits own mobile food pantry mobilized Thursday, Battcher said.

Motorists waited hours to reach the distribution staging area where bags of groceries were handed out by gloved-and-masked volunteers.

By 1 p.m., more than 700 had come through with only oranges and meat left to give away.

Food distribution was cut off at 1:45 p.m., with 100 cars in line.

“We’re going to get them taken care of — then we’re done,” Battcher texted. “But we stopped new people from coming in.”

Traffic was backed up around the distribution site for hours.

For information about future food distribution events, Battcher asked peopel to call the 211 United Way help line or visit the 2-1-1 United Way website.

This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 9:20 AM.