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The USDA’s Farmers to Families program will be distributing more food boxes on Monday, but it will be at a different location, at the former Tim Short Chevrolet car dealership at 1000 Early Drive, near the intersection of Veterans Memorial Parkway (the eastern bypass extension) and Maple Expressway.

When the first food boxes were given away last Friday at the new Legacy Grove park on Lexington Avenue, it caused traffic to be backed up as far as Maple Street as hundreds arrived for the handouts.

Debbie Fatkin of Clark County Community Services, which is coordinating the effort, said Winchester Police Chief Kevin Palmer is asking those who come to do so by way of Washington Street and Irvine Road (Ky. 89) and Veterans Memorial Parkway so as not to back up traffic on Maple Street, U.S. 60 and Route 15.

This time, Fatkin said, there will be 1,300 food boxes, 300 of which will be delivered to Community Services’ seniors. 

The remaining 1,000 are expected to be distributed at the car dealership around 10 a.m. or 10:30, although it could be delayed.

“We are receiving the first truck of the day,” Fatkin said. “However, every truck has been running 45 minutes to three hours late.”

This time, the truck won’t be from God’s Pantry, but from another agency from Louisville.

There are no income guidelines. The food is available to anyone who needs it. But Fatkin is asking people to be considerate.

“We’re asking that if you got a box of food last Friday at Legacy Grove, please allow others to get a box,” she said.

The Farmers to Families program is a federal coronavirus relief effort intended to help farmers and families in need as a result of the pandemic. Because farmers couldn’t get their meats, vegetables, dairy and other products to market, the U.S. government bought it and is giving it away. The USDA reported distributing more than 100 million boxes of food at the end of September. The distribution Oct. 9 was the first in Clark County. 

At the distribution Oct. 19, Community Services will be handing out information about ongoing food assistance it offers.

For more information, call the agency at (859) 744-5034 or visit its website at clarkcountycommunityservices.org.