MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — Hundreds of Tennesseans lined up for a food giveaway on Wednesday put on by nonprofit OneGenAway with volunteers from Cedar Grove Church as the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is leaving about 690,000 people across the state without food assistance.

"We have heard a lot of people come in and say that their SNAP benefits are cut off, and they've got, you know, four to five, six children, and they're really thankful for what we're doing here; and this is just the first of many to come," Michael Jones, a church elder in Murfreesboro, told News 2. "If we all band together, no man, no woman, no child, should go starving in America, if we all band together."

Volunteers started the giveaway with six pallets of food bags and boxes, and about 45 minutes into the giveaway, nearly all of those supplies were given to families in need. At one point, the line of cars was so long it even created a mini traffic jam on East Main Street.

Minister Will Lambert and Jones said they noticed people coming in from neighboring counties, including from Coffee County, to take advantage of the food drive.

"Today, people are starving, and if you can't feed the soul, then it hinders you from doing other things that you need to do," Lambert told News 2. "So hopefully, we can get food to people to fill their bellies, so they can go to work tomorrow… so they can take their children to school, and their children are not starving at school."

Everyone in Wednesday's drive-thru line got a box full of canned food and a bag of produce with no questions asked.

"People are standing up, and they're helping one another, showing that there's still some human dignity,” Jones added.

OneGenAway also sponsored food giveaways this week in Nashville and in Franklin. Another drive-thru giveaway will be happening tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m. at OneGenAway’s warehouse at 320 Premier Court in Franklin.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/murfreesboro/hundreds-line-up-at-murfreesboro-food-drive-amid-freeze-in-snap-benefits/