'Farmers to Families' food box distribution set for Thursday

Food boxes containing eggs, dairy products, chicken and fresh produce will be available for all families in Avoyelles Parish for two more Thursdays this month.

The first distribution was held last Thursday, causing traffic to back up all morning long. Since not all of the 1,500 available boxes were handed out, there was another distribution this past Monday afternoon to hand out about 450 remaining boxes.

The next distributions are set for this Thursday (Oct. 22) and next (Oct. 29). from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Avoyelles Parish School District warehouse at 539 W. Bon Tempt Street in Marksville.

Avoyelles Parish School District (APSD) Food Services Supervisor Jenny Welch coordinated the distributions with the help of volunteers, the National Guard and the Marksville Police Department.

The program was provided by Sysco Corp., through a USDA grant. The APSD is handling the distribution of approximately 1,500 boxes in each event.

Each box contains a pound of butter, 32 ounces of shredded cheese, a carton of liquid eggs, one gallon of 2% milk, five pounds of fajita chicken and a mix of fresh produce. The box also has a letter from President
Donald Trump about the program.

The boxes are free of charge for all families, regardless of economic status.