One of the main concerns that government leaders at all levels have had about the year-long coronavirus pandemic is the fear that some families won’t have access to the food they need.
That’s why the Guilford County Board of Commissioners has an ongoing effort to address that need by allowing people to pick up boxes of free food over the next two months.
Earlier this year, Guilford County partnered with 10 local churches, as well as with area non-profit organizations, to pull off the large initiative. The first food giveaway under the program began on Saturday, Feb. 6 at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Greensboro, but there’s plenty of food left to give out in the remainder of March and beyond.
Here are the upcoming Saturday giveaways. Times haven’t yet been listed on the county’s website, but those who wish to find out details can check at www.healthyguilford.com.
- March 20, Shiloh Baptist Church at 1210 Eugene St. in Greensboro,
- April 3, Crossover Community Church at 711 Knightdale Avenue in High Point
- April 17, Calvary Baptist Church at 808 Hilltop St. in High Point
- May 1, First Baptist Church at 1000 Friendly Avenue in Greensboro
- May 15, Lawndale Baptist Church at 3505 Lawndale Dr. in Greensboro
- June 12, Second Harvest Food Bank site at 2517 Phillips Avenue in Greensboro
County staff, commissioners and volunteers will be handing out boxes of food at the events. Each of the boxes is filled with enough food to feed, on average, a family of four for two weeks. And it’s not just canned and packaged items – the boxes include meat and fresh produce as well.
In 2020, Guilford County received about $94 million in funds that could be used in a wide variety of ways to address the pandemic. In mid-December, at a meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Commissioner Carolyn Coleman requested that the county set aside $300,000 for a food program of this type that operates through local churches – and the board voted its approval.
Just before Christmas, at the request of Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Skip Alston, Guilford County held a smaller food giveaway in Greensboro and High Point, and county officials considered that a success.
