With the need to help people get food continuing to grow, the Centre County YMCA held another Free Milk Drive in Centre County on Saturday. The Giveaways began at the Moshannon Valley Enterprise Center in Philipsburg. The Centre County YMCA had their first Free Milk Saturday of May on the 8th. They gave away jugs of milk at several locations in the area.
Mel Curtis, the Director of Anti-Hunger Programs at the Centre County YMCA, says as time goes on, each distribution has been getting busier. Curtis saying: “Numbers are continuing to grow, a lot of these people have not gotten back to work, a lot of people had to take lesser-paying jobs, so what’s happened is we’re now starting to see those people, you know, they’ve basically used up their savings.”
Despite Governor Tom Wolf announcing the state will relax restrictions at the end of the month, Curtis says we are still a long way from being free and clear. Curtis adding: “You know, there’s still a tremendous amount of uncertainty. I mean with the latest strain which seems to be, you know, affecting the children more, that’s created a concern for like grandparents and things like that, so it makes it difficult, you know, families are up against tough situations right now.” Something that was put into focus early on in Saturday’s event.
Curtis told us that there is no better feeling than to help someone when they need it most, and for many families, that time is now. Curtis adding: “I mean, it’s the greatest feeling in the world to know that you know at the end of the day, uh you go home and you know that you made a difference in someone’s life, and I think that’s the way our volunteers are, they’re very passionate about helping others.”
Curtis says the YMCA intends to keep having these drives for the foreseeable future because the demand remains.
