ROCKLAND — An estimated 200 people, standing in a line that stretched to the street and beyond, assembled at the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry at 70 Thomaston St. for the pantry’s second food giveaway in conjunction with the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn.

People waited in line for the food distribution, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., for more than 30 minutes as the truck was unloaded and food items were organized and laid out. The donated food included breads, pasta, canned goods, meat and fresh produce. Many held boxes they would use to carry the food items away.

AIO Food Pantry Director Mary Lowe said this was the second food distribution within the last three weeks.

“It’s called the Good Shepherd Food Mobile,” she said. “It’s sponsored today by the Dead River Company, which also sponsored the last giveaway. All the assorted food is free for the taking by the masses behind us. Last time they packed it for 100 families and this time it’s double that.”

Lowe said the last time, they had to turn people away. The tables loaded with food products stretched all the way around both sides of the truck and she said that people could, “definitely shop here,” with all the food items available.

“We have everything from cupcakes to yogurt, to vegetables to assorted meat, and as an add-on Efficiency Maine is here to distribute energy efficient light bulbs,” she said.

Tia Harris is the agency services field representative for Good Shepherd. She said that the food comes into Good Shepherd and the food truck distributes it.

“With the food truck we bring the food out here, so it’s an extra distribution for areas and local food pantries,” she said. “The local food pantries advertise and people can come out, go around the truck and pick food out. I cover five counties and I monitor the agencies, and work with them on building capacity. We only have one food mobile, but we are out multiple times a week and we cover the entire state.”

Augusta-based Efficiency Maine is an independent trust dedicated to promoting efficient, cost-effective and cost-saving use of energy to Maine residents and businesses through energy efficiency improvements.

Reach Chris Wolf at news@penbaypilot.com.