Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Thousands of food boxes of fresh produce will be available for pick-up at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson on Wednesday. The food is being provided as part of a federal program to support families who have lost income during the coronavirus pandemic.

“A lot of our citizens are still struggling with health and loss of work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson said in a press release.

The nearly 2,600 boxes will contain meat, milk, cheese, yogurt, potatoes and apples, provided by M. Palazola Produce Co. in Memphis. Those receiving a food box will also receive two and a half dozen eggs from Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., of Jackson.

The program is sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture's Farmers to Families Food Box Program, with help from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the Mississippi Crisis Foundation.

The Farmers to Families Food Box Program was started during the coronavirus pandemic. The federal government purchases produce from suppliers, who package them into family-sized boxes and transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

The event will start Wednesday at 9 a.m. Due to the pandemic, people must remain in their cars with the windows up. Volunteers will wear masks and gloves at all times.