Healdsburg Driveup Food Distribution Overwhelmed

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A special drive through “Groceries to Go” food distribution effort in response to the coronavirus emergency was overwhelmed with demand within two hours of opening in Healdsburg on Tuesday.

The grocery distribution began at 11AM, a special joint project of the Redwood Empire Food Bank, Corazon Healdsburg, the city of Healdsburg and other non profits and grocery providers. But a line of scores of cars soon stretched through the parking lot and out the other side, and food ran short within the first two hours.

Due to the need to maintain social distance, those arriving for food boxes where asked to drive through, without getting out of their cars, and were supplied with a variety of stable pantry items, along with produce and eggs.

With thousands left out of work due to the county’s shelter-in-place orders, so overwhelming was the need that the food bank and Corazon Healdsburg planned to repeat the event in two days in an effort to supply those who missed out.

That event will take place Thursday, March 26th at 1PM at the Healdsburg Elementary School, and will also be a drive through distribution.

Due to extreme food needs in the community, Sonoma County is looking at ways to contract with not for profit partners to supplement their efforts with governmental assistance.

As part of today’s effort, volunteers from the city of Healdsburg’s Senior Center also packed boxes and delivered them to seniors who are shut in across the city. Besides the upcoming Thursday distribution, other similar drive-through food assistance efforts are planned in Healdsburg to meet community need in the coming weeks.