Maya McFadden Photo
Despite heavy rain, the show went on for families in need and volunteers at a pop-up food distribution at Troup School.
A trailer truck full of food boxes took up half of Troup’s parking lot as 1,152 boxes each paired with a one-gallon milks were distributed by the Kingdom International Economic Development Corporation (KIEDC) and partners on Thursday.
At the start of October, CEO and founder of KIEDC Metashar Dillon partnered with Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers to feed the west side.
KIEDC has been partnering with the New Haven Police Department (NHPD) since the start of the pandemic to distribute weekly food boxes on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s with its USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
Walker-Myers joined together with her fellow west side alders Edgewood’s Evette Hamilton and Dwight’s Frank Douglass to partner with KIEDC to bring its Food Box program, regularly based out of the 26 Charles St. substation, around to Dwight/West River’s residents. Another distribution was planned Saturday at South Genesee basketball court from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.
“These events will happen rain, snow, or shine,” Dillon said. “Rain or snow the need is still here.”
Organizers plan to continue the program extension in the west side through November and possibly Decemeber. The program is looking for volunteers to make this possible and donations.
“The need was so great, we had to spread out and meet them where they are,” Dillion said.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the KIEDC/NHPD program has fed 50,000, said Dillion.
Two hours into the Thursday distribution, Dillion and Walker-Myers began calling up local organizations and others to pick up or make deliveries throughout the neighborhoods.
Walker-Myers filled up her trunk up with ten boxes to go door to door delivering to residents on Day Street.
Other organizations, volunteers, and some state police picked up as many as 50 boxes to deliver to nearby senior homes and food pantries.
KIEDC has been serving a number of cities and towns with food distribution amidst the pandemic. New Haven has had the greatest need, Dillion said.
“We come out here to meet needs and solve problems,” Dillion said.
At the start of the pandemic Dillion “sounded the alarm” to bring attention to food insecurity and the communities duty to each other. “I’ve been here before. Hungry with no idea where my next meal was. I didn’t know where I was going to sleep at night before,” she said.
The team also handed out packs of masks to walkers.
Carlena Weeks walked to the distribution Thursday with a collapsable wagon to pick up food for her family. Weeks temporarily moved in with her parents on Orchard street in March and picked up two boxes Thursday, one for her parents and a second for her husband and three kids.
“I’ve seen these in the news but never thought I’d considered coming until now. It helps that they don’t judge you and welcome you,” said Weeks.
Weeks stopped working last month to stay home with her kids. Now her family’s income has decreased with only her husband working she said. “This is a challenge I’m up to. I love to cook so I’ll find something to do with everything here,” she said.
Each box full of ingredients for multiple meals ranged at about $40 each. The truck load totaled to about $48,750.
Thank you to everyone who helped with donations and distributing food and PPE to people who need help during this terrible time.