For the City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Feeding Our Communities with United Services (FOCUS) has partnered with Alliant Energy and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin to distribute free boxes of food in October.

The drive-through food pantry will be held on Oct. 12, at the Wisconsin Rapids City Garage, 1411 Chase Street, 10 a.m. – noon, while supplies last. Participants are asked to enter the distribution area off of Clark Street via 16th or 17th Avenues.

The food boxes will contain produce, meat, and dairy items. Anyone who wishes to participate in the distribution is asked to come no earlier than 10 a.m., to allow volunteers to set-up for the distribution. To help prevent traffic congestion, arriving after 10:30 a.m. is recommended.

“Fighting hunger in our communities is just one way we build stronger communities,” said Julie Bauer, Alliant Energy Foundation executive director. “We want to help lighten the load for families who are struggling to make ends meet, so they can focus on more important things.”

Food boxes are limited and will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis, and one box per vehicle, unless the party is also picking up for a home-bound individual.

Since this is a contact-free pantry, participants are asked to remain in their vehicles while receiving the food and practice social distancing.