About 50 volunteers from organizations across the Valley came together outside the Mikwhaukee Brewer's Facility in Phoenix Thursday morning to hand out food packages to hundreds of families in need.

Jerry Brown, director of communications for St. Mary's Food Bank explained the non-profit is holding dozens of "mobile pantries" to target areas in need. They expected about 500 families — especially hourly workers or those who lost their job — to pass through the Maryvale facility to pick-up a package of food.

"Anybody who wants to come through these lines are always welcome. We would never turn anybody away," Brown said.

St. Mary's Food Bank, Phoenix Vice Mayor Betty Guardado, Unite Here Local 11, Labor's Community Service Agency, the Milwaukee Brewer's and others came together to make the event happen.

Rachel Sulkes, communications director for Unite Here Local 11, said the mobile pantry volunteers were able to balance giving out food while still following safety precautions to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

"The volunteers are all wearing masks and gloves," Sulkes said. "So are the workers and so are the people who are loading the cars directly. The people in the cars never get out of the car."

She added that it's truly an all-hands-on-deck affair with numerous organizations coming together to make these for drives happen. Thursday's mobile pantry brought the collaboration of St. Mary's Food Bank, Phoenix Vice Mayor Betty Guardado, Unite Here Local 11, Labor's Community Service Association, the Milwaukee Brewer's and others.

"We're just trying to match whatever we can to our members," Sulkes said "So we're going to continue to do that as long as the pandemic lasts."

Brown said St. Mary's Food Bank will be holding more mobile food pantries in the future. Next Thursday, the food bank and Arizona State University will join forces to put on another mobile food pantry at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on April 30. Another pantry will be held at Gila River Area with the Arizona Coyotes on May 7.

Reach the breaking news reporter at tina.giuliano@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on twitter @TinaMGiuliano.