(PHOTOS) Salvation Army hands out hundreds of Thanksgiving meals on Tuesday

CASPER, Wyo. – A lines of vehicles that at times stretched around at least two city blocks led to a parking lot at the Salvation Army Hope Center in central Casper on Tuesday morning for the annual Thanksgiving meal distribution.

Cars were separated into two lines in the parking lot where wait time was minimal as multiple volunteers loaded each vehicle with boxes containing all of the essentials for a full traditional Thanksgiving meal.

According to Penny Shoemake, program manager for the WYStepUp program for women at the Salvation Army, about 300 boxes were expected to be handed out on Tuesday morning, a number that was up notably from last year.

The process moved more efficiently this year thanks to some changes, she said.

“We had the boxes pre-packaged, and the only thing we had to do today was put the pastries and bread in the boxes,” she said. “We had a conveyor belt-like assembly line, and had several volunteers inside who got the boxes ready and sent out here to be put into cars.”

As in years past, they partnered with neighboring food pantry Joshua’s Storehouse to help gather food and distribute the meals.

Dozens of volunteers showed up to help, including 20 students from Natrona County High School, and numerous from Casper College, she said.