New pop-up drive-thru food pantry in downtown hopes to feed 300 families a day

Jacksonville, FL — There’s a new spot in downtown Jacksonville that opened to help families in need.

It’s a pop-up food pantry on 40 East Adams Street in downtown Jacksonville just outside the Jessie Ball DuPont Center.

Catholic Charities opened the pantry earlier this week after they saw the growing number of people in need because of COVID-19.

"Normally we would serve about 100 families per week out of that food pantry and now we’re serving up to 140, and the family sizes are a lot bigger," said Lauren Weedon Hopkins, executive director of Catholic Charities Jacksonville.

Although the pantry has been able to serve only about 60 families total, but their goal is to feed 300 families each day.

The pantry is drive-through only so both staff and people receiving the food can stay safe.

Patrons should keep their car windows closed when driving through.

Catholic Charities said the food can go out to anybody, but they will ask a few questions in order to collect data. These questions can be answered with a thumbs up or thumbs down, such as whether patrons are Duval County residents.

All patrons need to do is their trunk, and Catholic Charities will put the food inside the car.

Each bag contains items like canned meat, soup, peanut butter, juice, fruits and vegetables, and more.

Hopkins told me the pantry can help people located downtown who are in need of financial relief.

"There are a lot of people coming downtown to the main library to get their stimulus check so we hope that when they’re here they also come down to receive food," Weedon Hopkins said.

Weedon Hopkins said you don't have to show any paperwork or ID to receive food but in order to be eligible, they are asking that you have either lost your income, are on food stamps, Medicaid, supplemental security income, or part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

The drive-through pantry is open until June 10.

It’s open Monday through Friday from noon until 6 p.m.