Food distribution schedule set through end of May

Photo by Tom Rivers: Samantha Koons of the Office for the Aging assists with a food distribution on Friday in Albion. Greg Gilman of Community Action also helped move boxes of food to trunks of vehicles.

The schedule is set for the food distribution program on Fridays through the end of May.

The federal Department of Agriculture last week said the “Families Food Box Program” program won’t be continuing after May. The program has had five rounds and delivered 157.1 million boxes of fresh produce, milk, dairy and cooked meats to Americans across the country since last April.

Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary, announced the fresh produce boxes will be delivered as part of the Emergency Food Assistance Program where they can be delivered more efficiently with less waste and at a lower cost. It is unclear how that will affect the program locally. The food is delivered by Foodlink.

People line up in vehicles often by 5:30 to 6 a.m. for the distributions that are scheduled to start at 8 to 8:30 a.m. There are usually 300 boxes of food each week, but sometimes there are more. People are encouraged not to block driveways while they are waiting.

Anyone interested in volunteering can call the Office for the Aging at (585) 589-3191.

The schedule through the end of May includes:

• April 23, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
• April 30, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion
• May 7, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-HFairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
• May 14, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion
• May 21, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 4-HFairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville
• May 28, Community Action Main Street Store, 113 South Main St., Albion