NEAL: IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS SHIPPED 4 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD TO WAREHOUSES IN SEATTLE...FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE POOR. IT TOON THE STATE OF WASHINGTON A YEAR AND A HALF TO CUT THROUGH RED TAPE TO GET THE FOOD.

TODAY...WITHOUT MUCH ADVANCE NOTICE...DISTRIBUTE THE PACKAGES...AT AN ABANDONED SUPERMARKET. SENATOR WARREN MAGNUSON SAID HE WAS HAPPY TO GET THE FOOD FOR HIS STATE...BUT UNHAPPY ABOUT THE NEED FOR IT.

NEAL: WHEN THE DISTRIBUTION WAS SUPPOSED TO BEGIN...THERE WAS CONFUSION. NOT MANY POOR PEOPLE HAD HEARD ABOUT IT...SO NOT MANY SHOWED UP...AND MOST OF THEM HAD NOT YET RECEIVED PROPER AUTHORIZATIONS CARDS SO THEY WERE TURNED AWAY.

NEAL: A FEW PEOPLE HAD THE PROPER CARD AND WENT THROUGH THE LINES.

THIS PROGRAM GIVES FOOD...FREE...TO POOR PEOPLE.

IT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM...WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO BUY FOOD AT REDUCED PRICES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME BOTH PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED IN THE SAME AREA -
THERE IS ENOUGH FOOD ON HAND TO TAKE CARE OF 90 THOUSAND PEOPLE A MONTH. TODAY...ONLY A FEW HUNDRED SHOWED UP.

PERHAPS BY NEXT WEEK THE CONFUSION WILL BE CLEARED UP...AND THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THIS FOOD WILL COME OUT TO GET IT.

RN, NBC NEWS SEATTLE.