After seven months of helping needy families, the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department is ending its weekly food distribution. 

The drive, held weekly at the Lauderdale County Ag Center, was part of the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program, where surplus food from farms nationwide was distributed to families in need. In Mississippi, 49 counties are taking part in the program.

Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun said between November 2020 to May 19, 2021, the department distributed a total of 26,460 food boxes containing 792,540 pounds of food. He said the drive wouldn’t have been possible without community support.

“It was a great opportunity for the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department to assist individuals who had a need,” he said.