GOUVERNEUR, New York (WWNY) – The line of cars stretched out of the fairgrounds and all the way down the street. The traffic jam was for a food giveaway that wasn’t even expected to happen.
Friendly folks delivered boxes of food to vehicles driving through the Gouverneur – St. Lawrence County Fairgrounds.
There was bumper to bumper traffic.
“People were waiting for three hours in line to get free food,” said Stephanie LaShomb, organizer.
Hundreds of dairy and produce boxes were donated by the Food Bank of Central New York for a drive LaShomb didn’t see coming.
“This one was really a gift. We weren’t supposed to have this one,” she said.
But one she knows the area really needs.
“We have many members in our community that really struggle each week to put food on their table,” she said.
Jacquelyn Kelly, the new superintendent of the Gouverneur Central School District, says even though the drive wasn’t organized by the school, she made sure to lend a hand and was happy others did too.
“It speaks to the volume of this community and how people support one another,” said .
And as the line of cars cleared up a volunteer shared why giving back is so important to him.
“I was a poor child growing up in this community. Now I’m older, moved back to this community. I know what it is to struggle and I just want to help the people out there,” said Shawn Kirby, volunteer.
Copyright 2021 WWNY. All rights reserved.
