Residents Get Assistance
The U.S. government came up with several stimulus programs to help its citizens suffering economic hardships related to the shutdown of the economy due to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus.
These programs included a direct payment to individuals, a $600 weekly bonus on unemployment benefits and small business loans that could be forgiven for payroll expenses for those companies not laying off employees.
One program that has not gotten the publicity of these monetary initiatives is the USDA Farmers To Families Food Box.
Under this program, the USDA purchases and distributes agricultural products to those in need. The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is partnering with national, regional and local suppliers, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other foodservice businesses, to purchase up to $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products.
The program will purchase $461 million in fresh fruits and vegetables, $317 million in a variety of dairy products, $258 million in meat products and $175 million in a combination box of fresh produce, dairy or meat products.
Suppliers will package these products, totaling $1.2 billion into family-sized boxes, then transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving
Americans in need.
Mark Bartley, a veteran and a member of American Legion Post 392 in Pineville, as well as the Legion’s district commander, has started a pickup in McDonald County.
“I was talking to Melvin Stapp at the Neosho VFW and he said he was looking for volunteers to help with the food program,” Bartley said. “When I found out what he was doing, I asked if there was a pickup in McDonald County. When he said there wasn’t, I began checking to make sure I wasn’t stepping on anyone’s toes if I set one up.”
Stapp is directing the program for Monarch Baptist Church in Neosho. He said the church has focused on feeding the hungry for many years, so the new program fits right in with its mission.
“We (Monarch Baptist Church) serve as a hub,” Stapp said. “When the program first started in April, the USDA took bids for the suppliers and distributors. We never bid but waited until the bids got awarded and then signed up to get set up as a hub. We do food; that’s what we do.”
Bartley used his own truck and trailer and made two trips to Neosho on May 26 and two more on May 27 to pick up pallets of fresh produce and milk to distribute in McDonald County.
The produce is individually boxed and includes lettuce, potatoes, carrots, onions, cucumbers and also fruit and some dairy products.
Bartley said he was worried about getting the word out for the first day of distribution, but the line of cars that stretched from the parking lot at McDonald County High School, down Mustang Lane to the stoplight on Highway 71B and Cedar Street proved the word got out just fine.
Bartley contacted Gregg Sweeten, director of the McDonald County Emergency Management, who put it on his Facebook page.
Also, Leo Lenze, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Pineville, used Facebook to broadcast live the day of the distribution.
Stapp said the program is not “highly organized,” so times of delivery will vary. He said the program is scheduled to last to the end of June, and Bartley said McDonald County could expect deliveries each Tuesday and Wednesday mornings while the program is in place. He said the high school parking lot will be the main distribution site, but if not all boxes are gone, the Pineville Fire Department will also be used to distribute the boxes.
Sweeten said that, on May 26, nearly 944 people were served, and, on May 27, almost 1,200 people received boxes. Those figures do not include the 1,300 gallons of milk that were given out on May 28.
Anyone interested in receiving the produce boxes and other food items should just follow Sweeten on Facebook to confirm distribution schedules.