Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania has canceled a scheduled Produce Express food distribution in Erie due to poor air quality conditions.
The distribution, which was set to take place Friday at John Horan Apartments, was called off out of concern for the health and safety of staff, volunteers and community members.
In a statement, Second Harvest said the event was canceled “out of an abundance of caution” as air quality conditions remain poor across the region.
“Due to poor air quality conditions, today’s Produce Express food distribution at John Horan Apartments has been canceled out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, and neighbors,” the organization said.
Officials thanked the community for its understanding and encouraged residents to take precautions while poor air quality conditions persist.
Air quality alerts have been issued in parts of Pennsylvania as wildfire smoke affects the region, prompting health officials to advise sensitive groups and others to limit prolonged outdoor activity when conditions worsen.
Second Harvest has not announced a makeup date for the canceled distribution. Updates can be found through the organization’s website and social media channels.