Photos: Lines Stretch For Blocks At San Francisco-Marin Food Bank's Drive-Up Distribution Service
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- Volunteers scurried to fill boxes Saturday as drivers lined up for several blocks to pick up much needed food supplies during the current coronavirus crisis at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank's special drive-thru distribution service.
Thousands of San Francisco Bay Area workers have been laid off or furloughed after their employers were forced to shutdown operations during the current shelter in place. That's added to the already strong demand for supplies from food banks around the region even before the virus outbreak began.
To meet the demand, officials at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank have launched a special Saturday drive-up service. This week, cars lined up for several blocks and drivers waited for more than a hour to loaded up their vehicles with much needed food stuffs.
Dozens of volunteers practicing safe social distancing filled the warehouse to pack boxes.
The food bank distributes more than 48 million pounds of food each year. They were on track to do the same this year, too, until the coronavirus hit. Now the need has grown even bigger.
Many lost their jobs when the stay-at-home orders started, like Sonny, who didn't want his last name used. He says he is grateful for the food given out by the food bank.
"That food is very important to me because I'm low on funds, not working, and I got a couple, people to support that need it," Sonny said.