Mobile food pantry opens in Timberville

People from Martin's Food Markets and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank gathered in Timberville on Thursday to celebrate the opening of the Timberville Mobile Food Pantry.

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank officials say mobile pantries like this one are extremely important because people living in smaller, more rural communities often don't have access to food pantries and healthy food.

Martin's also announced a $80,000 donation to help the food bank expand the program to help even more small communities gain access to fresh food like the chicken, milk and fresh vegetables people received on Thursday.

The two companies say the food pantry makes a huge difference for those who rely on it.

"I can't tell you how often they'll say thank you, I mean how many times they'll say thank you as they're receiving the food," said Michael McKee, CEO of Martin's Food Markets. "They're very, very grateful. It's not easy coming out in public, lining up in a car for an hour or more to wait for a couple of bags or so of groceries."

McKee says the mobile food pantry helped provide food to more than 100 people on Thursday and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank helps around 107,000 people every month.