Crook County hosts 2-day food distribution event at fairgrounds

(Update: Adding video, comments from volunteers and participant)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Crook County teamed up with local agencies Thursday to host a two-day food distribution project for the community.

Holiday Partnership, Search and Rescue, Fortis Construction and Facebook helped with the event, which is also planned for Friday.

The event was organized as a drive-thru at the Crook County Fairgrounds to help people follow the COVID-19 public health guidelines. Walk-ups are also welcome.

NewsChannel 21 met Jody Atkinson of Prineville, who came by to pick up food for his family. Atkinson said he was laid off from his job as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There’s a lot of chaos and unknown things going on with people and their property," Atkinson said. "So there are a lot of changes going on that’s affecting our stability. The food boxes definitely help us make our rent, instead of spending it on food, because food prices are really outrageous right now."

Crook County Judge Seth Crawford was one of the volunteers at the event.

"I think it’s super-important to eat, and I think giving those people the ability to feed themselves and their families makes people feel a lot more comfortable," Crawford said.

The Crook County Health Department said enough money was raised to buy non-perishable food for more than 1,500 households, providing nearly a week’s worth of food.  

NeighborImpact is providing dairy and produce food boxes.

Vicky Ryan, Crook County's emergency preparedness coordinator, said there were about 20 volunteers a day for the past week helping to sort and bag the food.

She said there are a total of 4,000 bags, and each household gets four bags -- a bag for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for dinner as well as an additional bag for miscellaneous food items.

The first 600 people in line Thursday also received a pound of frozen hamburgers.

"We will be here until 1,000 households have been met with the level of food we have," Ryan said.

In an effort to follow health and safety guidelines, community members and volunteers were asked to wear face coverings, and only one trip through the line per household was permitted.

Seniors and veterans were served first, from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, followed by the general public from noon to 7 p.m.

On Friday, gates will open at 9 a.m. and volunteers will serve the general public until food runs out.