Correspondent photo / Nancilynn Gatta Rob Wasser, public information officer for the Bazetta Fire Department, left, hands a box of macaroni and cheese to Ohio State Highway Patrol Post Commander Lt. David Zatvarnicky to place in the shopping cart prior to being loaded in a box truck during their Can the Cruisers food collection for the Cortland Area Cares Food Pantry on Saturday at the Walmart on Elm Road. Shoppers donated nonperishable items to the food collection.

BAZETTA — Less than a week before Thanksgiving, the Warren Family Mission provided a blessing of an emergency food giveaway for local residents.

Food insecurity was evident at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds on Saturday.

“There were 200 cars lined up outside of the fairgrounds at 2:30 a.m. for our scheduled time of 10 a.m.,” said Dominic Mararri, director of public relations at the mission.

Because of the large number of families seeking assistance, the drive-thru giveaway organizers had to change their original plan.

“The mission received a phone call from the Trumbull County Sheriff’s department. They asked us to open up earlier since the cars lined up were a traffic hazard,” Mararri said, noting they had food packed for 1,000 cars.

“We want to lift the burden of the high cost of food. Some people have not had their SNAP benefits renewed or only received partial benefits,” he said.

Mararri did notice a specific group of people who had come seeking food assistance.

“I saw a lot of handicapped placards on cars. We should be thankful for our health. Some people are dealt cards that are more difficult,” he said.

Trumbull County Fairgrounds volunteers set up the vehicle pattern, which started at Gate A, and made the food giveaway a smooth process.

Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley provided the food and additional organization.

“I ask each vehicle how many families they are seeking food for and I write down one, two or three on their windshield. This helps the volunteers know how many items to place in their cars,” said Jenn Frisco, grants manager at Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley.

Greg Jones of Warren, pantry coordinator for the Warren Family Mission, greeted drivers as they got ready to enter the drive-thru food giveaway building. He gave instructions to open their trunk and drive slowly into the building.

“I know a lot of the people coming here. I see them at the pantry. It is nice for them to see me here because I am a familiar face,” Jones said.

John Daly of Safe Harbor Recovery LLC brought 22 volunteers to load vehicles with food items.

“A big part of recovery is service work. I want them to realize there are always people worse off than you and you should be grateful for what you have,” he said.

Joseph Turner, a volunteer from Safe Harbor, had a personal reason to help.

“My family had to get help years ago and I went through John Daly’s program, and I am here because now I can give back,” he said.

Volunteers with Safe Harbor Recovery LLC placed food items, including milk, eggs, potatoes, cabbage, pears, strawberries, turkeys, onions, soft drinks, cookies and pies into vehicles that drove through the food storage building.

“We had 200 turkeys. We only have four left at 10:22 a.m.,” said Safe Harbor volunteer Joey Robertson of Cuyahoga County.

Mararri judged the success of the giveaway as the cooperation of different area groups coming together to implement the event. He said it “warmed his heart” to see this and “to provide people with hope at this time of Thanksgiving.”