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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Two hundred junior Marines, Sailors and their families received a total of 400 bags of free groceries during a grocery giveaway at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Nov. 20.
The event was sponsored by Food Lion as a part of their community outreach program to provide 500 million meals to individuals and families in need in the local community.
During the grocery giveaway, service members and their families picked up bags of food containing dozens of items including fresh and canned produce, peanut butter, canned tuna and instant oatmeal.
“The food donated is the equivalent of approximately 4,200 meals,” said Chuck Conard, an execution and implementation specialist with Food Lion. “It is our hope that by providing nutritious food to Marines and Sailors at Cherry Point that it will help them avoid making some tough choices during the holiday season when funds can be stretched.”
According to Conard, this is the first time Food Lion has sponsored an event like this at a military installation.
The response to the event was so large that all the groceries had been given away within the first half-hour. As service members and their families continued to arrive after all the food had been distributed, they were met by volunteers handing out a grocery store gift card.
“Those who serve in our military selflessly serve to protect our freedoms every day,” said Conard. “We are honored to be able to give back to our servicemen and servicewomen in this way. It is the very least we can do to thank them for their service and show them that we care.”
Lance Cpl. Andrew McKenney, a wireman with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28, was one of the Marines who arrived after the groceries were gone. He gratefully accepted the gift card for his wife and unborn child.
“This is my family’s first Thanksgiving on our own. We haven’t been on Cherry Point long and we were unsure if we would be able to have a real Thanksgiving meal,” said McKenney, a native of Ontario, Calif. “The fact that the surrounding community is so eager to help service members out is really comforting.”
According to McKenney, if it were not for events like this, many junior Marines, Sailors and their families might struggle during the holiday season.
“My wife and I were nervous about living in a new location and not knowing anyone, but seeing first hand how welcoming this community is gives me reassurance about my family’s future here,” said McKenney.
| Date Taken: | 11.20.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2014 15:16 |
| Story ID: | 148526 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, US |
| Hometown: | ONTARIO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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