UTICA, N.Y. -- Hundreds of families got some help from the Johnson Park Center in Utica.

Members and volunteers had 20 pallets of food to hand out as part of their annual free food give-away Monday, held across from the Center's Food Pantry on West Street.

Organizers said it always feels good to give back.

"We want to bring positive into the community, and that just starts like [Abraham] Maslow would say, 'First basic needs need to be met,' " said Johnson Park Center Chief Operations Officer Rev. Ursula Meier.

The food was donated by the Food Bank of Central New York.