FERRIDAY, La. – Despite the rain, more than 100 people lined up Thursday morning on First Street to fill boxes and bags with potatoes from Feed the Children.

The Oklahoma-based nonprofit was given a free shipment of sweet potatoes and russet potatoes by a farmer and is distributing them through another Louisiana nonprofit, Feed the Children officials said.

&uot;There are many people here that need something like this — especially when you can hardly buy it in the store, it’s so expensive,&uot; said the Rev. R.B. Turner of Ferriday, waiting at the end of one of four lines.

Margaret Cummins of Ferriday said she heard about the distribution from one of her cousins.

&uot;There are a lot of people who don’t have much to eat, so it really comes in handy,&uot; said Cummins, who plans to make pies and casseroles and freeze the extra potatoes.

Those helping with the distribution — including Ferriday police and fire personnel, inmates and volunteers — expected even more people to attend, said Alex Promise, administrative assistant for the Town of Ferriday.

&uot;It’s just the weather,&uot;&160;said Promise, looking at a gray sky that had just begun to rain. Behind him, recipients covered their heads with umbrellas, bags and boxes.

The distribution had to be done across from the former Pasternack depot instead of at that building because wet ground made it difficult for the 18-wheeler full of potatoes to park near the building.

Thursday was not the first time Feed the Children distributed food in Concordia Parish.

The ministry brought seven trucks of food to Ferriday in 1997 and returned to give away about 1,400 boxes of food in August of last year.

In the past year, the nonprofit has also brought more than 450 boxes of food to Bethel Church near Vidalia, which has then distributed the food boxes to the needy.