Hundreds of families were served food at Trumbull County Fairgrounds.

A line of cars formed at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds Saturday. Families waited to receive food from the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Warren Family Mission.

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, the food bank teamed up with the Trumbull County Commissioners, the Warren Family Mission, Safe Harbor Recovery and the Trumbull County Fair Board to help feed those in need. 

Volunteers loaded up everything families needed for a proper Thanksgiving dinner. About 40,000 pounds of food was given away, and around 400 families were served.

Because more families are in need of help this year, the Second Harvest Food Bank is making sure families in Trumbull County have food for the holiday.

“We've seen the spike in the numbers of people that need help, and that's why we're here today. You're going to see, you see in this line. There's probably about 400 cars here lined up. They began coming in here last night, we understand at midnight,” said Mike Iberis, executive director

of the Second Harvest Food Bank Mahoning Valley.

One person in line waited over two hours to get food for his family.

“I'm definitely very grateful that they've made this event possible for the whole community. It really does make a difference,” said Joshua Baumgartner of Niles. “For my family, it will make a great difference knowing that we will have the things that we need to make this holiday special.”

Each family was given a 20 pound box of shelf stable items, fresh produce, frozen meat and drinks. 

“We have hams, we have apples, we have oranges, we have some drinks., we have some fish, frozen fish. And we also have vegetable boxes and other boxes that we put together with shelf stable. So, it’s a pretty good distribution,” said Iberis.

Dominic Mararri, public relations director for the Warren Family Mission, spoke to some families in line. He said some of them depend on this food for their next meal.

“Tearful after I talked to him. I mean, he just kind of said that he has no food in his fridge and if it wasn't for this, he wouldn't be eating today,” said Mararri.

The Trumbull County Fairgrounds food distribution was a community effort. 

“We helped set up and facilitate this for the second harvest food bank and warren mission. So happy to be able to help the community, help out everybody, and give back,” said Kierstin Holmes, director and secretary of the Trumbull County Fair Board.

The goal is to give food away at the fairgrounds every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

Holmes confirmed the fairgrounds will have another food distribution at the fairgrounds in 2025.