Hunger knows no temperature. This is the lesson I learned on Friday, July 22 at the Capital Area Food Bank’s distribution at Langley Park Community Center in Hyattsville, Maryland. Despite record-breaking temperatures of 105 degrees, over 250 individuals and families lined up to receive the fresh produce and bags of shelf-stable food items at the monthly distribution.
Thanks to a strong partnership with the Langley Park Community Center – part of the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation, and the quick thinking of its Facility Director, Lourdes Sulc – the long line of clients were moved indoors to wait in the air conditioning until their numbers were called.
Seven dedicated volunteers handed out food from 10:45 AM-1:30 PM as the temperatures rose. Four of the volunteers were students at Furman University in South Carolina. Even their experience in the southern heat didn’t keep them from breaking a sweat!
It was all worth it to see the senior citizens and families accept the bountiful selection of produce provided by the food bank at absolutely no cost to the clients or the host site. High-quality potatoes, onions, lettuce, watermelon and peppers filled the carts and bags of each client who entered the line.
The distribution at Langley Park is part of the food bank’s Mobile Food Pantry Program. This program directly benefits from the funds raised in the Fresh Produce Campaign, which aims to provide the community with more than 15 million pounds of nutritious fresh produce this year. The distribution at Langley Park clearly demonstrates the need for these programs and the value that people have for the service.
The next time you find yourself sweating at 8 AM and reaching to turn up the air conditioning, think of the people at the Mobile Food Pantries, braving the heat to feed themselves and their families with healthy food.