By Robert Richardson, originally posted on October 16, 2016

GOLDSBORO, N.C. (WNCN) — A boil advisory remains in effect in parts of Wayne County.

Emergency management is providing safe drinking water — and a middle schooler is trying to keep storm victims from going hungry.

There were hundreds of bags of ice and tens of thousands of bottles of water this weekend.

The items were at a free drive-thru for Wayne County folks unable to drink the water from their faucets.

“We’re having to boil it and we’re having a hard time.  We appreciate anything you’ll give us,” one resident said.

“We have to boil it to use it right now and I’d rather have bottled water anyway,” said Tom Comer, who came to the drive-thru.

Wayne County Emergency Management, the N.C. National Guard, and volunteers, mostly from the Mount Olive ward of The Church Of Latter Day Saints, loaded three cases of water and a bag or two of ice into each car.

On Saturday they gave out more than 50,000 bottles of water and more than 1,700 bags of ice.  They had more of that Sunday, and planned to give it all away.

Coke, Pepsi, Target and Walmart all provided pallets of water.  And a local food pantry brought more than 100 lunches as well.

“Someone called us saying they need water and food, so we just came over here and brought some stuff,” said Mackenzie Hinson.

Mackenzie Hinson, just 12 years old,  normally distributes food three Thursdays a month.

“Since the hurricane hit I’ve been serving hot meals for the past week at 5 o’clock and we had lunch today at 12 o’clock,” she said.

Mackenzie says it’s rewarding to help others, and hopes more people will participate in feeding programs, especially during recovery from Matthew.

“Anything really helps at a food pantry, because at this period of time everything runs low, so anything really helps,” she said.

Volunteers noticed several people making multiple trips through the drive thru.

They even asked police, who were already on scene, to step in.