It's early in the morning and the Marketplace at the Maryland Food Bank is bustling with activity.
LINES OF PEOPLE WAITING FORFOOD& WEEK AFTER WEEK.
ANDTHAT MEANS THESE GROUPS MUSTMAKE EVEN MORE TRIPS TO PLACESLIKE THE MARYLAND FOOD BANK TOKEEP FAMILIES FED.
WMA━2NEWS' MEGAN KNIGHT HAS THISSTORY.ITTHE MARKETPLACE AT THEMARYLAND FOOD BANK IS BUSTLINGWITH ACTIVITY.
PASTOR MERRILLGRIFFIN OF SOUL HARVEST CHURCHAND MINISTRIES IS LOADING UPPALLETS OF FOOD THAT THEY NEEDFOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
HE SAYSTHE SITUATION NEAR THEIRCHURCH IN NORTHWEST BALTIMOREIS PRETTY DIRE.
((PastorGriffin)) 46:21 weliterally had to go andservice families that just didnot have food and could notwait for us to open up anothday 46:29 TRACK TWO: RHONDAJACKSON WITH ━CAN OUT OFSEVERNA PARK SAYS THEY WENTFROM SERVING 1━ HUNDREDFAMILIES A MONTH& TO 600 AWEEK.
SHE SAYS PEOPLE WILLWALK FOR MILES JUST TO PICK UPFOOD.
((Rhonda)) 55:49 Iquite sure that even when thepandemic slows down peoplewill still be coming to usbecause a lot of people wonhave jobs any longer 55:56TRACK THREE: AND KEITH HUNLEYAT CITY OF REFUGE IN BALTIMORESAYS HETRIPS TO THE MARYLAND FOODBANK SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGANTO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND.((Keith)) 3:44 I feel like ourworkload has quadrupledprobably since COVID19 we weredoing on average 800 meals aweek now we2,400 3:56 TRACK FOUR: THEYARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANYORGANIZATIONS WHO COME TO THEFOOD BANK EVERYDAY TO PICK UPTHEIR ORDERS FROM THEMARKETPLACE, LOADING UPWHATEVER VEHICLE THEY HAVEWITH THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OFFOOD THAT WILL GO WITHIN AMATTER OF DAYS OR EVEN HOURS.((Rhonda)) 56:49 we might belacking milk, we might belacking eggs we already have aplan of what wethe center so we can fill inthe blanks right here 56:55((BUTT WITH)) ((Keith)) 4:44the needs have increased andtheymeet the demand wefor what they provide and wecouldn4:54 TRACK FIVE: THE FOOD BANKWORKS WITH MORE THAN 350GROUPS TO OPERATE 1━ HUNDREDPROGRAMS THROUGHOUT MOST OFTHE STATE.
THEY SAY WHILE SOMEHAD TO CLOSE BECAUSE OF HEALTHCONCERNS OR LACK OFVOLUNTEERS& MANY OTHERS AREPUSHING FORWARD.
((Carmen))10:22 and theyresource for us and wedoing everything we can tomake sure that when they comeinto our facility that we haveample food for them to respondto their needs 10:28 TRACKSIX: ITTO CONSIDER WHEN PEOPLE ARELINED UP IN THEIR CARS OR ONFOOT, WAITING FOR THEIR NEXTMEAL, RELYING ON STRANGERS TOKEEP THEM FED.
BUT PASTORGRIFFIN, AND ALL THE OTHERSWHO ARE DISTRIBUTING FOODRIGHT NOW, UNDERSTAND THEY ARETHE LIFELINE FOR THEIRNEIGHBORS AND WILL BE FORQUITE SOME TIME.
((PastorGriffin)) 49:03 wethe long haul.
When you seethe faces of people who reallywouldneat that week had it not beenfor your establishment yourealize the importance ofpressing your way even if youare a little apprehensive49:20 TRACK SEVEN: INHALETHORPE, MK WMA━2 NEWS.WE ARE WORKING WITH
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