CCEC Works With County Agencies to Distribute Food

By Caitlin Burns | June 4, 2020

Arcadia’s Community and Civic Engagement Center is coordinating with the Montco Anti Hunger Network and Montgomery County Department of Emergency Management to host a six-week “contact-free” food distribution program throughout the county.

On Thursday, May 28, approximately 1,000 vehicles accessed the drive-through food distribution at the Willow Grove Park Mall in Abington, Pa. Volunteers from RSVP Montgomery County, a nonprofit organization focused on promoting education and wellness in the community, distributed two boxes full of fresh milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, fruits, and vegetables. As cars arrived at the pick up site, volunteers would open trunks and place both boxes inside the vehicle, enabling everyone to stay safe and practice social distancing.

This week, on Thursday, June 4, Montgomery County residents can pick up boxes of food at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., dairy, milk, nonperishable foods, and pet food will be available for pick up in the same “contact-free” service. 

This program will continue each Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through July 2, with alternating sites for pick up:
June 4 and 11: Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
June 18: Willow Grove Park Mall
June 25 and July 2: Greater Philadelphia Expo Center

“Cindy [Rubino, director of CCEC,] was specifically asked to help with this due to her work with the MLK Day drive-up events, and I think that speaks to how we have been able to reach the community successfully,” said Kiara Jacoby ’21M, who is assisting Rubino with the distribution program. “The food distribution program is a great opportunity for us to use our collaborating structures and learned lessons from events that CCEC has held in order to continue to serve the broader community at need during this time.”