WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A large scale food giveaway reached a milestone on Saturday at the Big E.
The Big E’s Better Living Center became a giant food distribution warehouse on Saturday. Cars lined up outside waiting their turn to pick up food packages. Each package containing 32-pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and meat-all from western Massachusetts farms.
With the pandemic affecting schools and restaurants, the Massachusetts Military Support foundation along with the Big E, re-directed the food to where it’s most appreciated, preventing it from going to waste and helping the farmers at the same time.
“Today is a big day at the Big E. We’re giving away our one-millionth pound of fresh food since October. We started in Agawam at the Empowerment Center, moved over to the Big E drive-thru distribution, so we’re here January, February and March,” Ken Melanfan, Massachusetts Military Support Foundation Site Manager said.
The small army of volunteers inside the better living center was a mixture of police officers and military veterans all anxious to help load the 32-pound boxes of food into the waiting cars.
“I am a veteran, I served in Vietnam. Now that I can give back to veterans, it’s a great feeling,” Vietnam Veteran Jesse McKight told 22News.
Many Springfield area families drove home Saturday with their patriot farm food boxes courtesy of a program called farmers to families. The next food distribution at the Big E will take place on February 6 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., and each Saturday through the end of March.
For more information and how to register to receive the food items, click here.