Giving back to the community you serve is the job of any elected official. Since he took office in January, Lake Station Mayor Bill Carroll and many others have handed out boxes of food to residents in need. The food was donated in partnership with the Beyond 4 Walls Christian Center, and the handouts have been going on for months now.
“We used to give them out on Wednesdays,” Chief of Staff Adrian Vera said. “Then Mayor Carroll went and volunteered at their church and they were able to set up more boxes for us to give to residents.”
On this cold and snowy Tuesday morning, cars lined the narrow street that leads into Riverview Park. Under the guidance of Police Chief James Richardson, cars were funneled into a line where a group of volunteers consisting of Carroll’s staff, EMTs, firefighters, city workers, and regular citizens awaited them. Depending on how many people are in your family, you could choose between one or two boxes. The boxes were filled with fruits, vegetables, and some dairy products.
“Getting food out to people who need it is what we’re striving to do,” Carroll said. “We’re building upon a platform of bettering our community. We want to bring positivity and hope to our residents.”
Many laughs were had as boxes of food were placed in the trunks of cars. Carroll approached each and every car, greeting his constituents with a brief greeting and a smile. The work of Carroll and the group of volunteers are not doing this for glory or recognition; they help out for the greater good of the community. The volunteers cracked jokes and fist-bumped their peers as boxes of food were handed off.
“We have about 300 boxes of food to hand out,” Vera said. “This partnership with the church is huge for us. We want to make sure people are getting food and staying healthy. These are people who need help the most, even if they don’t want to admit it.”
In total, around 250 boxes of food were handed out to residents. The food will help residents who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There will be continued food distribution to residents for the next six months. The food will be handed out at Riverview Park, every Tuesday from 10 a.m. -11 a.m.
“This will continue to help those in our community who need it,” Carroll said. “We want people to spread the word so that we can help as many as possible.”
If you are interested in learning more about the philanthropic work in the city of Lake Station, please visit https://www.lakestation-in.gov/.
