Coronavirus: Foodbank explains why some may not have been served at WSU distribution Tuesday

GREENE COUNTY — Wright State University partnered with the Foodbank Tuesday to hold a large distribution of food for the Greene County community from 10 a.m. to noon at the Wright State Nutter Center, but not everyone was served like the Foodbank originally assured.

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Traffic was expected to be heavy due to the food distribution site, but the backups got even worse after Homewood Suites, a Fairborn Hotel near the Wright State Nutter Center, caught on fire while the distribution was taking place.

Originally, the Foodbank asked that families not line up before 9 a.m. and assured that everyone in line before noon would be served. That assurance became harder to follow-through after workers could no longer decipher who was merely in traffic and who was actually in line for the distribution.

“Everyone who was on Raider Road before noon is getting served,” said Lee Alder a Foodbank spokesperson.

“Outside of that, it’s hard to tell if they are in line for this or in traffic going somewhere else."

A fire also broke out near the distribution site and caused safety concerns, Alder said.

Wright State and Fairborn police were on scene giving safety recommendations to the workers at the distribution site.

“Because of safety and because of the fire and with officer input and traffic control working with them, we had to make the decision that was safe for everyone,” Alder said.

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“We had to follow what police officers recommended.”

The Foodbank recognizes the complications of Tuesday’s distribution and says the drive-thru on Armor Place will be open tomorrow as well as Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Alder said they want folks to know that the Foodbank works with a network of partner agencies and if someone needs help finding a local agency, they can call the Foodbank.

Currently, there are still 95 operational Foodbank agencies serving Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties.

The Foodbank is already planning another distribution in the Greene County area, but they say they have a few kinks to work out first.

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“What makes it hard is traffic,” Alder said.

“We can’t close down the roads. We can’t close down North Fairfield. Some people are in line for us. Others are just trying to get somewhere.”

Today was the largest distribution the Foodbank has ever done and they are appreciative of everyone’s patience, Alder said.

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