Outside St. Lucy’s Church in West Long Beach, a line wrapped around the block, dozens of families clutching wagons, chairs, and hope.

Some had been waiting since dawn, but for many, including Vanessa Lopez, the wait ended in heartbreak.

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“We don’t have no food,” said Lopez as she was last in line, hoping to get a box of food during the Thursday distribution. “(I will take) whatever they give us.”

But they arrived too late; only those who received numbers earlier in the morning were helped with handouts.

The Lopez family was determined not to leave empty-handed and looked around for what was left.

Her mother’s eyes turned to the trees growing along the churchyard wall. Within minutes, they were reaching for fruit,

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