LAURINBURG — In the wake of Hurricane Florence, the Scotland County United Way began a Disaster Fund, and now those funds are helping create food boxes for those in outlying communities.

The fund is designed to address unmet, immediate, short-term needs of Scotland County residents who are experiencing a loss due to a disaster beyond their control.

On Tuesday morning the United Way was able to serve 50 families at the Wagram Recreation Center by giving each one a box of food, a bucket with cleaning supplies and a hygiene bag. The organization will be at the Laurel Hill Community Center at 10 a.m. on Thursday and at the Gibson Train Depot at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Each location will only get 50 boxes of supplies and distribution will be first come, first serve. Executive Director of the United Way of Scotland County Coy Moody said the idea of bringing the boxes to the communities was an effort to help those residents who were unable to make it into Laurinburg.

“We heard that there was a need in the outlying communities for supplies because they couldn’t get into Laurinburg,” Moody said. “So we brought it to the board and took some funds from the Disaster Fund to focus on giving to the outlying communities.”

Unfortunately, there were some at the giveaway that were unable to get supplies before they ran out. Those who did not get supplies were put on a list for the United Way and Moody said that there are between 50 and 75 families on the list.

Because of this, Moody expects both other locations to go quickly as well. For those who didn’t get the supplies, the United Way is going to work on getting some supplies out to them through those in Wagram will have another opportunity to get help as the Salvation Army out of Fayetteville will be at the Wagram Recreation Center on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

“We knew it would be a good response, but we didn’t know it was going to be this many,” Moody said. “Part of our mission is to take care of the citizens here in Scotland County and that includes the outlying communities.”

Moody said though these supplies would not have been possible without donations. The hygiene bags and 60 of the cleaning buckets were donated by former Scotland County residents Jason and Kristen Litchford and the remaining cleaning buckets were donated by the Red Cross.

To donate, contact the United Way of Scotland County at 910-276-6064 or [email protected].

Katelin Gandee

Staff writer

Reach Katelin Gandee at 910-506-3171 or at [email protected]