Volunteers distribute Thanksgiving boxes

HURON TWP. — Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio provided 400 Thanksgiving meals to Erie County residents on Monday. The nonprofit teamed up with BGSU Firelands to distribute the meals during a drive-thru pantry at the college. "At BGSU Firelands, we believe leadership begins with service," Dean Allia Carter said. "Partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank allows us to extend care beyond the classroom and ensure that families in our community can gather this Thanksgiving with nourishment, dignity and gratitude." Vehicles lined up in the parking lot, and volunteers placed a Thanksgiving box — filled with a turkey, apples, onions, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, cornbread mix, milk, eggs — in each one. "Our Thanksgiving mobile food pantry helps our neighbors gather with loved ones to share a meaningful meal," said Julie Chase-Morefield, president and CEO of Second Harvest. "This year, with the government shutdown disrupting vital services like SNAP, we're not only continuing that commitment, but also strengthening our support for our partner charities by providing extra food to enhance their holiday outreach," Chase-Morefield said. "We urge Congress to reopen the government and restore SNAP funding, so families can celebrate the season with dignity and peace of mind." Qualified families needed to register for the event. Registration filled up within two days and a waiting list was created. According to Second Harvest, one in seven people in Erie County are food insecure. There are 6,900 households that visit direct distribution or its partner charities at pantries, hot meal programs and shelters. This year, Second Harvest hopes to distribute 2,700 Thanksgiving food packages among residents in Erie, Huron, Lorain and Crawford counties. The food bank is also asking for donations to be made via the group's website, secondharvestfoodbank.org. Donations may be made via credit card or through services such as Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo and bank transfers.