Cherokee Nation Holds Food Giveaway Open To Anyone In Need

The Cherokee Nation is working to make sure families in Collinsville do not go hungry. A drive-thru food giveaway Thursday was open to everyone, no questions asked.  

Each box given away was loaded up with food meant to last a family of three for a few days, with produce, meat and dairy products.  

"It's got chili, believe it or not,” Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor for District 14 Keith Austin said.  

Becky Clarke was one of hundreds who came through the line today.  

“I have 16 grandchildren. [Three] great-grandchildren,” Clarke said.  

Volunteers were prepared for large families too, ready to give away several boxes at once, and meet the need. 

"Makes a big difference,” Clarke said.  

Austin said volunteers teamed up with the Victory Cherokee Organization to help distribute the boxes from the USDA. 

"This particular event is for all of our neighbors, regardless of if they're Cherokee or not,” Austin said.  

Aside from the hundreds of boxes of food, volunteers are also giving away seeds, for anyone who wants to start their own garden. It was the milk that Kathy Keys was thankful for.  

"Praise the Lord for the milk," Keys said. 

The Collinsville Fire Department picked up a few boxes, too. They plan to bring the boxes of food to people who cannot easily leave their homes.   

"They can call the fire station, we can deliver it to their house, put it on their doorstep. Try to help out our community as much as we can,” Captain Michael Percival said.  

"Anytime anybody can help anybody - we need to,” Clarke said.  

Austin said this was the fourth event like this that has been held in the past several months because of the pandemic.