SANDPOINT — At times, the line of cars stretched as far as the eye could see down Lincoln Street.

By the time Wednesday's food distribution event was over, volunteers and organizers estimated that more than 300 households had food. Among the items given to area residents — no questions asked — were a frozen turkey, a 10-pound bag of potatoes, a large bag of tater tots, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, almonds, chips, bread, apples and grapes.

Pausing briefly between coordinating with volunteers and talking to those patiently waiting for their turn at the drive-through distribution event, Kessin Drews of Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church couldn't help the big grin that spread across her face as she surveyed the activity filling the entirety of the church's parking lot.

"It's an exhausting but fulfilling day," the church office manager and food drive organizer said. "You leave here and everyone can barely walk but we all have the biggest smiles that don't come off our faces for days. It's just really rewarding to be able to help our community the way that we do."

The church, which has been sponsoring the food drives for at least 15 years by Drews' reckoning. Each food distribution costs roughly $2,000 to host but Second Harvest works with community groups to ensure the events are affordable, even offering scholarships on occasion.

The church's congregation loves the event and have been asking when they would get to host the events. Christ Our Redeemer tries to hold three or four food distributions each year with additional events scheduled for July 9 and Aug. 13 at the Sandpoint church.

While the line stretched from the parking lot down Lincoln Street and never abated until the end, Drews said those waiting were patient and grateful for the event. Wednesday, the line started forming about 8 a.m. — three hours before the first car was waved forward.

"You might think people would be upset because they've had to wait in line for two hours," she said. "Instead, they are telling us, 'Thank you so much,' 'This is a blessing,' 'I recently lost my job,' or 'We have a sick relative.'"

"There are all of these really just heartbreaking stories and they are all so grateful and they don't mind the wait. They sit there and smile and thank us. It's just beautiful to be a part of this."

Wednesday's event was a partnership between Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and Second Harvest, a leading hunger-relief organization in the region. Based in Spokane, the organization works with local churches and community groups to distribute food to those in need.

Second Harvest has warehouses in Spokane and the Tri-Cities, Wash., with regular distributions held throughout the region. What is given away depends on what is available and what it receives in donations.

What is given away at the distribution events depends on those donations, longtime Second Harvest volunteer Andy Caster said.

In Wednesday's case, Walmart donated several hundred turkeys to the Sandpoint event so that each family was able to take one home. Care is taken to ensure that everyone — from the first car to the last in line — all receive the same items. Adjustments are made on the fly, if needed, to ensure everyone gets food.

Much of the food given away is staple, capable of being used in a number of ways and over multiple meals. Mid-summer, there might be more produce than items that are shelf stable, primarily because that is what is being donated to Second Harvest.

"I just enjoy the fact that I'm helping people who could use some extra help with food," the longtime volunteer said. 

Caster — and the other four dozen or so volunteers — pitched in wherever a hand was needed. Some grabbed the heavy bags of potatoes; others readied the large frozen turkeys; and still others organized the grapes and apples along the long row of tables laden with some of the 18,000 pounds of food brought to Wednesday's event. As the pile lowered, more was pulled from the waiting Second Harvest truck that had been packed full of groceries at the organization's warehouse earlier that day.

"Almost every time we come, there is somebody that's almost in tears, saying they didn't have enough food to feed their family to the end of the week," Caster said.  "Being able to help people is the biggest pat on the back that you could get, in my opinion. You're helping somebody who maybe isn't desperate, but might be close."

When someone wants to only take a portion of their allotment, Caster said he reminds them of three things  — they can share with a neighbor, they can take what they saved on groceries and go out for a meal, thus helping a local business; or take the money saved and donate it to the food bank or to a good cause.

"Pay it forward," he said.

Drews, Caster and the others taking part in Wednesday's event said they love being a part of helping others, seeing the opportunity to serve as a blessing.

Caster, who spent his working career in public service, sees his volunteering as an extension of being able to help people in retirement. While he's done many of the different volunteer options available at Second Harvest, the long-time volunteer said he loves being a part of the food distribution events the most.

"I like being able to help people," Caster said.

Drews agreed.

"My favorite part is absolutely interacting with our community," she said. "I always put myself in a position where I can talk to every single car that comes through to thank them for coming. Just hearing their stories and the difference that it makes for them, this is just a huge blessing to be a part of."

    A volunteer at a free food distribution event smiles as she holds an armful of groceries while waiting for the next car to drive up so that she could help load the car.
  

    Two volunteers wait with turkeys in hand for the next car to drive up at Wednesday's free food distribution event at Christ Our Redeemer Church.
  

    A young volunteer sliced open a bag of potatoes to add to the stack in front of him. The youth was one of almost 50 volunteers who turned out Wednesday to take part in a free food distribution event at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sandpoint.
  

    Volunteers load groceries into a trunk at Wednesday's free food distribution event at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sandpoint.