New London — The United Way of Southeastern Connecticut held a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday at its new mobile food pantry distribution site located at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, 10 Huntington St.

The new site represents a merging of the two previous New London distribution sites for the mobile pantry at Walls Temple AME Zion Church and Thames River Apartments.

The new location provides increased parking for guests and improved accommodations for inclement weather and dark conditions during winter months.

Food distribution will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month. 

The United Way said that the mobile food pantry is a critical extension of the work to reduce hunger by bringing food directly into neighborhoods and communities considered "food deserts," where access to food is limited.

The mobile pantry program has 10 monthly distributions throughout New London County and provides about a week's worth of food to guests, including fresh produce, dairy products, proteins and healthy snacks.

The mobile pantry serves an average of 1,000 households struggling with hunger each month.