THIS POST IS OUTDATED. VIEW THE MOST RECENT POST ON THE FOOD BANK’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 HERE
As precautions against the spread of COVID-19 take place in our communities, The Food Bank's work becomes all the more crucial. We must react to the closures of schools and businesses and what that will mean for families struggling with food insecurity. Here is what we are doing and how you can help.
Working with partners and schools to continue the distribution of food
Schools are closing across our service area, and that will put a strain on food-insecure children and families. To help them, The Food Bank is working with Columbia Public Schools and other schools across our service area to ensure kids continue to have food.
On March 17, students who normally receive Buddy Packs in Jefferson City and Columbia took home packs with twice the normal amount of food. For longer-term help, multiple schools in our 32 counties are looking for ways to continuing distributing meals and Buddy Packs. We'll keep you updated on solutions as they come. We operate the Buddy Pack Program and multiple School Pantries in 150 schools across the 32 counties we serve; however, in those programs, we provide the food to schools, and they are responsible for distributing it to students.
To help families looking for assistance, The Food Bank works with 140 partner agencies, such as local food pantries and soup kitchens, and runs Mobile Pantries across its service area. Many of those agencies are available for families or individuals; that means any parent with a child can find the help they need. To stay safe, many of our partners are changing how they distribute food, using methods like curbside pick-up or delivery. Find a list of our partner agencies at sharefoodbringhope.org/get-help.
Changes at Central Pantry
The best resource for residents of Boone County is Central Pantry at 1007 Big Bear Blvd. in Columbia. To protect the well-being of its patrons, volunteers and staff, Central Pantry has changed its model from an open store to a drive-in option available to all who need help with food. People visiting Central Pantry may come with their vehicle, answer a few brief questions in the parking lot, and receive an allotment of food. Those without a vehicle may go into the waiting room to sign in. The Sharing Room will be set up on the sidewalk at the front of the building. These precautions will reduce traffic through the store and enable good social distancing practices. People looking for assistance can visit sharefoodbringhope.org/central-pantry-boone-county or contact Central Pantry at (573)874-7848 with any questions.
Adding protocols to protect volunteers
The Food Bank is taking steps to ensure the health of our volunteers. As part of this, we have implemented additional protocols that will remain in place until March 30 at the earliest to ensure facilities are safe for those giving their time. To learn more, visit sharefoodbringhope.org/volunteer.
Additional protocols may come as the situation in our community evolves. People are encouraged to visit the CDC's website on COVID-19 for more information on the virus, who is at a higher risk, and how to prevent its spread. Visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
How you can help
The community response has been overwhelming in recent days. That dedication to helping will be essential over the coming months. Here's how you can join The Food Bank's mission:
Donate funds
We could see a sustained increase in the need for food. With closures across our community, The Food Bank may also have to devote more resources to transporting food. That means more funds are necessary to keep our operation going. Visit sharefoodbringhope.org/donate to give.
You can also create a virtual fund drive through Facebook or our website at bit.ly/tfb_vrfooddrive. Contact Chief Development Officer Julie Dorn or Development Officer Kalie Holder at (573)474-1020 for questions on donating.
Donate food
Monetary donations are the most effective way to help us purchase items. Drives are another great option to support The Food Bank, but only if it is food already on hand. We do not want to add to the burden grocery stores are facing by encouraging people to buy bulk food to donate. Contact Guy Clow at (573)447-6608 if you're interested in organizing a food and fund drive.
Volunteer
As more organizations take precautions against COVID-19, we expect our number of volunteers to decrease in the Volunteer Room and at Central Pantry. However, to continue our work of feeding the community, people are needed. Any person interested in volunteering should visit sharefoodbringhope.org/volunteer.
Don't panic buy groceries
Clearing out shelves at local stores causes a shortage of items, hurting our efforts and those who struggle to afford food. It is a responsible practice to purchase enough groceries to last a few weeks in case isolation is necessary, but hoarding harms local efforts.
Contact us with fundraising ideas
We know many are interested in starting a project to help The Food Bank. Whether it is gathering food or funds, talk to our staff so we can work together. Contact Guy Clow at (573)447-6608 or gclow@sharefoodbringhope.org with your ideas.
The situation nationwide and in our community often is changing on an hourly basis, and possible closings and illness can affect our staff as well. The Food Bank is dedicated to sharing food and bringing hope. We will be proactive in creating solutions to continue distributing food and continue to provide updates as our situation develops. Thank you to all who join us in feeding neighbors during these challenging times.
UPDATE: Story edited on March 17 to add details on The Food Bank’s work with schools