Food giveaway draws big crowds in Las Vegas

A local nonprofit saw unprecedented crowds on Saturday during its monthly food donation event held while Las Vegas Valley businesses are shuttered to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Andrea Martinez, the director of operations for the Just One Project, said the organization normally gives away food to about 13,000 people across 10 locations in the valley during the monthly pop-up markets. On Saturday morning, Martinez said she saw about three times that number just at one location.

“It just happened to be perfect timing right now,” Martinez said as she stood with volunteers assisting a line of cars at Hyde Park Middle School in the west valley.

The line wrapped around the block as volunteers gave out canned foods and fresh products such as dairy, eggs, cheese and meat. Martinez said that even though volunteers began handing out food at 10 a.m., people had been lined up since 6 a.m.

Martinez said the organization normally gets food donations from the Three Square Food Bank, but it has also received an influx of donations from hotel and casinos that have closed since Gov. Steve Sisolak’s order to shutter businesses for 30 days.

The pandemic has also resulted in layoffs at multiple casino companies and a nearly tripled amount of unemployment claims.

Tiffany Watson said she heard about the food donations on Saturday from Facebook, and she’s had problems finding items at the store while shoppers stock up.

Watson said she went to the food bank so she could help take care of her four grandchildren “during this mess.”

A Jerry’s Nugget employee who asked to be identified only by her first name, Cheryl, said she had to go to the food bank because she was out of work. She said she has to help feed a household of five people.

“It’s less stuff that you have to worry about,” she said after volunteers wearing gloves loaded her trunk with groceries. “There’s no telling what’s going to happen.”

As the line for food was winding down Saturday, Martinez said those who came out were happy to find groceries, especially fresh products like eggs.

“The people saying that they are so grateful, because if they looked back last week to now, they didn’t think that they would be in this situation,” she said.

The next mobile food market is scheduled for April 18, and locations can be found on Just One Project’s website at thejustoneproject.org. There are no requirements to receive food at the pop-up food market.

The Just One Project also operates a senior food pantry for people at least 60 years old. It is open Mondays and Fridays by appointment only, which can be scheduled on the organization’s website or by calling 702-462-2253.

Groceries can also be delivered to older people who are home-bound or “medically fragile,” according to the organization’s website. Appointments also must be scheduled for food delivery.

The Just One Project’s food pantry is also open weekly through appointments for families who need emergency food assistance.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter. Staff writer Ellen Schmidt contributed to this report.