BOCA RATON, Fla. — Wednesday, a community center in Boca Raton handed out meals and groceries to ease the impact in the COVID-19 pandemic.
"And I think everybody that's helping giving food for the benefit is like really thankful," one woman said.
At the Wayne Barton Study Center, there's a drive-thru no-contact setup where people are getting a hot meal and groceries.
"We have close to 100,000 pounds of food. We had the whole gym laced out with pallets and pallets of food," Wayne Barton said.
Barton said the program has been busy from the beginning.
"We haven't got the count yet today but last Friday we did 1,732 meals and the lowest we've ever done, and we've been doing this for three weeks now, 525, was the first day we started," he said.
Barton is the founder of the center and said there's a need and he and his sponsors are trying to feed that demand.
"What we're trying to do is also fill up the refrigerator that's empty, empty from unemployment opportunities, empty for don't know where to turn, and empty for that parent who worked all day," he said.
Some have even turned up at the center to get meals for others.
"I know a lot of people who are out of work right now, who are directly affected by this and that's one reason why I come. I'm able to donate a lot of my stuff," Sherri Hall said.
Barton said people are experiencing severe hardships right now and a hot meal and some groceries can help ease the pain.
The program continues through Friday.
