JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – A program that has helped millions of farmers and families across the nation makes its return to the area this month.

The Farmers to Families Food Box program, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has delivered 145,183,711 boxes of fresh produce, milk, dairy and cooked meats to disadvantaged Americans across the country.

Locally, the program is assisted by the Great Plains Food Bank.

Communications Manager Jared Slinde says Great Plains Food Bank has continued to do their own mobile food pantry. He says they’re pleased to continue helping distribute food through the Farmers to Families Food Box program.

Slinde says they stay safe by making each event a “drive-thru” event where participants only need pull up in their vehicle and the food is placed inside.

He added that the food distribution events are free and available to anyone who needs it.

With this fifth round of the program, USDA will purchase up to $1.5 billion worth of food for delivery through the end of April.

Local dates of the event include:

March 30 – Sheyenne* | Sheyenne High School, 320 Sunnyside Avenue | 11:15 – 11:45 AM *Hosted by Sheyenne community members

March 30 – Jamestown | Jamestown Civic Center, 212 3rd Avenue NE | 1:30 – 3:00 PM

April 8 – Napoleon | St. Philip Neri Catholic Church | 401 Broadway | 10-10:30 a.m.

April 8 – Wishek | Street next to Lutheran church | 12:30-1:30 p.m.

April 8 – Ashley | Back of senior center | 111 Center Avenue North | 3:30-4:30 p.m. (hosted by Ashley Food Pantry)

April 8 – Ellendale | Ellendale Area Food Pantry | 504 Second Avenue North | 4:30-5:30 p.m. (hosted by Ellendale Area Food Pantry)

For more information or to volunteer, you can contact Rachel Monge (Western ND) at 701.390.2513 or rmonge@greatplainsfoodbank.org or Anna Johnson (Eastern ND) at 701.361.1004 or ajohnson@greatplainsfoodbank.org.

A full list of dates and times of each Mobile Food Pantry can be found here.

Listen to a full Let’s Talk About It with Jared Slinde below: