POLAND — Volunteers at New Life Church in Poland were busy Friday preparing for a second week of food distribution.

Anita Oles, co-founder of God’s Warehouse Inc., a nonprofit housed at the church, oversaw work ahead of today’s drive- thru.

Each Friday in October, God’s Warehouse will receive at least one semi-truck filled with about 1,000 boxes of fresh produce and food as part of the Farms to Families program, established at the beginning of the pandemic. The distribution to the public is 8 a.m. on Saturdays.

“It’s phenomenal,” Oles said. “It’s a great program.”

Farmers to Families is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

According to its website, $4 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat have been purchased by the USDA.

Tax dollars were allocated to purchase food from farmers, which is in turn distributed to pantries around the state.

Boxes come prepared and include 10 pounds of meat, cheese, fruits and vegetables. This week there is a gallon of milk and yogurt.

Contents will vary each week, “so people don’t get sick of the same things,” Oles said.

Last week, more than 800 people were served, and Oles is anticipating even more today.

Police officers from both Springfield and Poland townships assisted with traffic, which was lined up to Interstate 680, Oles said.

Boxes are on a first-come, first-served basis, and if they run out volunteers will hand out brown bags stuffed with items from the pantry, Oles said.

The Salvation Army of Mahoning County and Warren Family Mission, along with other pantries, took boxes on Friday morning.

Oles and her husband, Norman, began God’s Warehouse Inc. 17 years ago.

It’s been located at the church, 2250 E. Western Reserve Road.

At the beginning, Oles said people utilizing the pantry were mostly not working, but now the need for food impacts a large range of people.

“The first week, we had six families. Now, we have 600 a month,” she said.

For those who turn to the pantry, Oles said it is a blessing.

“I have people that come and tell me if it wasn’t for the pantry, they would not make it through the end of the month to feed their kids,” she said.

Those in need could not be helped if it weren’t for her volunteers, many of whom have been with her since the nonprofit’s inception, Oles said.

Still, she won’t turn away anyone who wants to help pass food out on Saturdays during October.

All people have to do is show up to the church at 7:30 a.m., she said.

To help the team, Oles has been calling local schools to see if any athletes can help with lifting the boxes.

“It’s tiring but rewarding work,” Oles said.

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