Food bank opens on holiday unscheduled due to extreme weather conditions

Usually on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Center for People is closed to the public and all employees have a day of service. But with all of the snow that hit Lincoln this past week, the organization is opening its doors today. Community members with a current Center for People card can stop by the special food and diaper distribution between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.

The Husker Football team will be helping out with the food and diaper bank today. Center for People was closed on Monday and Tuesday, but opened again before the frigid temperatures in the weekend. On Thursday, they served more than 600 families in need before the expected winter storms, which is much higher than they usually serve in one day.

“Serving 636 families at one food distribution is high, even for us,” Center for People Executive Director Macala Carter said in a press release. “We can see high numbers on a Tuesday when we have two distributions. But on a Thursday, after two bad weather closures and an anticipated closure on the horizon? That caused concern.”

The Lancaster County Public Defender law offices will also be volunteering for the unusually scheduled food and diaper distribution.

Due to the particular conditions of the day, Center for People will be unable to sign up new card holders during this event.