By Kayla Carroll

Special to The Alpine Mountaineer

Residents affected by the devastating snowstorm lined up and out of the parking lot of Goodwin’s last Friday afternoon, March 3. Volunteers and Goodwin’s employees distributed food donated by UNFI Produce to hungry residents in front of the collapsed Goodwin’s grocery store.

UNFI Produce provides access to safe and nutritious food for those who are low income and in vulnerable situations like ours.

Provided was animal food, which can be found in no local stores at the moment, eggs, bread, diapers, feminine products and other necessities in high demand.

Residents were not the only ones present at the distribution; news helicopters circled the sky and television news vans captured the event with cameras and interviews. This kind of coverage allows for more organizations like UNFI Produce to be made aware of emergency situations like this.

The food distribution did not stop there, however. Donated food distributions at select check points such as Goodwin’s have continued throughout the week.

With some parts of Crestline without power, others without the ability to even get out of their homes, and the tragedy of Goodwin’s and other businesses collapsing due to the heavy snow, seeing people come together to support one another is heartwarming – a nice contrast to the freezing weather.

Residents filling bags with necessary items and food.

Volunteers and employees distributing food. Some took boxes of food to those who couldn’t make it to Goodwin’s.

The UNFI Produce truck that hauled the donated food up the mountain.

(Photos by Kayla Carroll)