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Stanly Community Christian Ministry will utilize Oakboro District Park Thursday morning for a mobile food pantry event, in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina in Charlotte.

The mobile food pantry will be sponsored by Oakboro United Methodist Church.

Oakboro Police Chief T.J. Smith said Sheriff Jeff Crisco informed him last week that Stanly Community Christian Ministry chose the town to host the event.

“Anything that would bring food to our town for folks that need it, I’m all for it,” Smith said.

The goal for SCCM is to feed at least 300 households, said Jenny Clore, development director with SCCM, adding that the organization has one mobile food pantry event each month.

SCCM, along with Oakboro police and other volunteers, will begin passing out groceries around 9 a.m. and will continue until noon or until they have fed 300 households or run out of food.

The Oakboro police will direct traffic during the event and any overflow will be directed to the Rusco Fixture parking lot.

“The Oakboro police have been incredible at making sure logistics are taking care of because switching to a drive-through mobile pantry is much more logistically challenging than what happened in the past,” Clore said.

Until the Second Harvest truck arrives Thursday around 8 a.m., Clore is not sure what specific foods will be offered, but she says typical items usually include cereal, milk, produce and condiments. Once the truck gets to the park, SCCM will assess the items and divide them by 300 to make sure each household receives the same amount of food.

Since it’s supposed to rain Thursday morning, Clore said two portable garages will be set up to make it easier for SCCM staff to interview the recipients to keep track of who is receiving the meals.

In addition to SCCM and the police department, Smith said members of Oakboro Fire Department, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office and members of its cadet program and First Baptist Church in Oakboro will volunteer their time.