Cars wrapped around the parking lot at Military Circle Mall. Hundreds of others waited around the corner. The pop-up food drive opened at 11 a.m., but people started lining up as early as 4:30 a.m.
Just one hour into the event, the foodbank had to close the gates.
The foodbank originally prepared to serve 500 households affected by the government shutdown at the Oct. 17 distribution. By noon, it looked like it would end up being closer to triple that, said Chris Tan, CEO of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
“I wish we would have been able to think that this would be the amount of need that quickly,” he said. “When we heard that the military was going to be paid, we thought that might make this distribution a little bit easier.”
Food insecurity in Hampton Roads already was at record levels before the government shutdown, which started on Oct. 1, and federal civilians missed their first paycheck this week. Each additional missed paycheck will strain families.
“We didn't know what to expect because we only had a few days to promote (the event),” said Mallory Reckling, the foodbank’s communications director. “It's a blessing because we're here, but it also just opens our eyes to the need that's out there.”
The foodbank decided to host the event five days prior, after hearing about longer lines and increased demand at local pantries, Reckling said. Food Lion and Purdue donated the food, and the city of Norfolk provided the space.
When people showed up hours before the event started, they moved to bring in additional food and call in more volunteers, Reckling said.
The volume of people waiting in line didn’t surprise Edwina Peoples, who was waiting for her turn. Her children work for the government and won’t get paid until the shutdown ends.
“We don't know how long it's gonna last, and then all the food prices going up so high,” Peoples said. “I don't know what the people gonna do. We just gotta stick together and tough it out.”
Emily Brantner’s husband is active duty Coast Guard. They have kids, including one with special needs.
Brantner said food from the event will help with financial planning and the cost of groceries. Even though her husband got his most recent paycheck, future ones aren’t guaranteed, she said.
The Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security, which puts its service members in a different category than the other military branches. During the last government shutdown in 2018, her family went 35 days without a paycheck, she said.
“If you talk to any Coast Guard family that was affected by that last one, I think we all just kind of hold our breath and wait because we don't know what's going to happen,” she said.
The government shutdown has been dragging on for more than two weeks with no end in sight.
The assembly line of volunteers placed food in trunks and backseats as the cars rolled through. Each household got canned goods like tomato sauce, pantry staples like pasta, rice and peanut butter, fresh produce, protein, eggs and bread.
It’ll be enough to help the families keep food on the table — at least for a little while.