Terrebonne food bank going drive-through only

Accommodating both social-distancing restrictions and increased demand, the Terrebonne Churches United Good Samaritan Food Bank in Houma will distribute food in a drive-through format until further notice.

In order to maintain an orderly, efficient flow of traffic, the food bank, located at 324 Magnolia St., just off of Lafayette Street, will set up a prior staging area around the corner on Commerce Street.

Clients will be able to line up in their vehicles on Commerce Street coming in from Lafayette Street,“ said food bank president Lawrence DeHart. ”They must remain on the right side of the street as to not interrupt the flow of traffic on Commerce Street. As the line progresses, at the corner of Church Street and Commerce Street, our screeners will come to the drivers side window and ask some basic questions to qualify each vehicle for pick up.“

After they are screened, the traffic will flow right to Magnolia Street and each vehicle will pull into the clearly marked pickup area. In this drive-up pickup area the vehicle will be loaded with the boxed food for that family. Then each vehicle will pull forward onto Magnolia Street and exit via Lafayette Street.

“Each box will contain many of the items we have traditionally provided based on availability,” DeHart said. “Each box should be enough to provide for each family for about three weeks. The clients will be able to return at the end of the three-week period to obtain another box.”

The food bank’s distribution hours are 8:30 a.m.-noon Mondays and Saturdays, 12:30-4 p.m. Wednesdays and homeless clients only from 9 a.m.-noon Thursdays.

Cars will not be allowed to line up before 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Mondays and before 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.

“This program will be our main distribution program until the end of the COVID-19 emergency,” DeHart said. “All other programs will return at that time.”

For more information find Terrebonne Churches United Foodbank on Facebook or go to tcufoodbank.org.