A traveling food drive made a stop in Louisville Friday afternoon.
The Louisville Urban League hosted the Players Alliance’s Pull Up Neighbor tour, offering food boxes, personal protective equipment and Major League Baseball merchandise to Louisvillians.
Pull Up Neighbor founder Anthony Holt, who is originally from Louisville, said the organization “tried to put together as much as we can” to help families and individuals struggling right now. They’re anticipating a sizable crowd, especially after Jefferson County Public Schools ran out of meals Thursday while trying to make sure families would have plenty of food during the upcoming winter break.
There were long lines of vehicles at food pick-up sites and they had to turn some families away, JCPS spokesperson Mark Hebert told WFPL.
Holt said they hope to offset some of the need that JCPS wasn’t able to fill.
“We also have other resources, we have COVID resources that were given away, as well as Major League Baseball merchandise, just to try to add some Christmas joy, some Christmas items,” Holt said. “We're just trying to do our part just to add on to what's already been given out in the city.”
He said they’ll have 350 food boxes on hand, provided through a partnership with Dare to Care food bank, and PPE supplies like face masks, hand sanitizer and bars of soap.
Current and former major league players will be at the drive, which is an important aspect of the effect, said Lyndon E. Pryor, chief engagement officer for the Louisville Urban League.
“Having players that are going to be here, who have Louisville connections, who have Kentucky connections, for young kids who may be able to pass this line and meet them or see them, that has an impact,” Pryor said. “And we know that that's going to mean something to them long beyond today, and we're just happy to be a part of that to bring some level of joy and cheer to folks through this partnership.”
Holt said it's “just a great feeling to do this in my home city.”
No registration is required to pick up any of the supplies provided during the Pull Up Neighbor drive. It will be open until 4 p.m. at the Louisville Urban League or until the supplies run out.