A row of cars was lined up on Lawrence Street Monday to pick up boxes of food provided by the Selma Area Food Bank (SAFB).

Students from Auburn University, volunteering during a break from school, and volunteers from Blue Jean Church were on hand to load boxes with fresh produce, milk, bread and other items.

According to Selma Area Food Bank (SAFB) Executive Director Jeff Harrison, these groups generally come together every Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day to give food to those in need.

“We just want to promote unity and what he stood for,” Harrison said. “What better way than to help those in need?”

Harrison said that he expected between 200 to 300 people to show up representing families in need throughout the area.

“We’ll easily feed upwards of 500 people,” Harrison said. “We could do this every day and the need would be there.”

Blue Jean Church was hosting this year’s event for the second time and Catherine Gilmer said it’s more important now because so many Selma residents are out of work.

“The timing is perfect with so many people in need in Selma,” Gilmer said. “It’s just so wonderful that we can feed so many people.”

The student volunteers were provided a hot meal once all the food was distributed.

“It’s always a great opportunity to show them the city,” Harrison said. “It’s always good to have new people in Selma. They encourage us and we encourage them.”