Second Harvest still has 850 open spots for Lorain County Thanksgiving meal distribution

ELYRIA — Plenty of spots are still available for a upcoming drive-thru distribution that Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio hopes will provide Thanksgiving meals to 2,000 Lorain County households in need. The distribution will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at Lorain County Community College. Pre-registration is required and must be done by Nov. 18. There were about 850 spots open as of Thursday, said Susan Bartosch, director of external affairs for Second Harvest. Registration is available online at secondharvestfoodbank.org, but those who cannot register online can do so over the phone by calling Second Harvest at (440) 960-2265. Last year around Thanksgiving, Second Harvest held the largest mobile food pantry it had ever conducted in the parking lot of Midway Mall. "It was the only big Thanksgiving distribution we had in our region. So people in our four-county region were coming from all over the place," Bartosch said. Although the Midway Mall distribution was successful, some attendees reported long waits. This year, Second Harvest is approaching the holiday a little differently, offering three drive-thru distributions in different counties. The LCCC event is intended for Lorain County residents, while other distributions are being held at Galion Schools in Crawford County and Willard Parks and Recreation in Huron County for residents in those areas. Requiring pre-registration this year is also expected to reduce the amount of waiting at the distribution, Bartosch said. Upon arrival, Lorain County residents who have registered will enter LCCC's campus from the north entrance and receive directions from there. Eligibility is based on income and household size, and a chart is available on Second Harvest's website to help residents determine if they qualify. Proof of income is not required, but those who pre-register will be asked to attest to their income, according to Bartosch. Each household will receive a holiday-themed assorted box of shelf-stable food, an 8- to 16-pound turkey, a bag of apples, a bag of onions, a bag of potatoes, a carton of eggs, butter, a pie, stuffing, dried cranberries, instant potatoes, cornbread mix, soup and more. "It's everything to make a very nice, traditional holiday meal, especially given the situation where those that qualify may not be able to afford all of those things," Bartosch said. Answers to frequently asked questions are available on Second Harvest's website. Contact Dylan Reynolds at dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.