Washington County Food Bank scaling up to provide during pandemic
Barbara S. Miller/Observer-Reporter
Carolyn and Pete Roedersheimer of Washington returned to the Washington Senior Citizen Center late Wednesday morning after delivering meals.
Barbara S. Miller/Observer-Reporter
This notice on the Washington Senior Citizen Center notes its closure through March 27.
Christina Etter is raising her children, Cameron Hussey, 14, and Chloe McCann, 5, while being out of work during the pandemic.
With school closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, these are uncertain times for Christina Etter and her family.
Not only is Etter a single mother of two children in the Bentworth School District, but school closures across the state have left her without work.
Etter, a Cokeburg resident, works for Smith Township-based Jake Schneider Bus Contractor, driving a wheelchair bus for students.
Etter’s family also relies on assistance for food. Her children, a 14-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl with autism, participated in the free and reduced lunch program at school.
Bentworth School District will continue to provide lunch during the closure, but she knows it will not be enough.
Even before the coronavirus outbreak, she had problems because the Greater Washington County Food Bank recently closed several pantries. The pandemic has only exacerbated her worries.
“It’s probably going to resort to, like choosing between getting cable shut off so you can have extra money for food, or not eating as well as you’re supposed to. Getting cheap things like mac and cheese and hot dogs,” Etter said.
However, on Wednesday, the food bank announced it would be scaling up to provide emergency food and personal care relief.
According to a press release, it expects to deliver 5,000 to 6,000 boxes of food and supplies this month, which is a 50% increase.
“Luckily, we have the infrastructure to shift all of our regular and emergency distribution there now, even as we scale up to accommodate the increased need due to the state of emergency. We hope to act as an example for other food banks, hopefully helping them serve more people and save lives,” said Connie Burd, executive director of the Washington County Food Bank, in the release.
The food bank will move entirely to its “truck to trunks” system, which minimizes contact for clients, staff and volunteers. Staff will load boxes directly from the food bank trucks into their clients’ vehicle trunks.
The food bank is also asking for donations of cash to purchase supplies.
“We anticipate seeing a significant increase in need as people are unable to go to work and are asked to stay home. We are preparing for this, but to do so, we have to increase our operating funds now,” Burd said.
According to the release, the Washington County Community Foundation donated $10,000 to the food bank.
For Etter, there are also other resources she has used that she is not sure about as a result of the pandemic.
The first Tuesday of each month, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank conducts its Produce to People program at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
In Etter’s experience, there is usually a crowd of more than 100 people, some elderly, waiting to get food.
“You kind of combat with your own mind what’s safe and what’s not safe anymore,” Etter said.
On its website, the Pittsburgh food bank says it will continue with scheduled events, including the Produce to People event at the Greene County Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to noon March 26.
According to its website, the Pittsburgh food bank is strategizing how it will distribute food while abiding by social distancing guidelines.
Senior centers offer takeout
Many a senior citizen was used to heading to a center for lunch and perhaps a game of cards or just to meet and talk with friends. But that routine was interrupted this week.
“Social distancing” and “self-quarantine” have become all too important to the elderly, even though they’ve survived other pandemics.
Senior citizen centers run by Washington County Aging Services served their last sit-down meals on Monday. Takeout is the only option, whether that be seniors heading to the center to pick them up themselves, or receiving a delivery.
Michelle Manni, assistant director of Washington County Aging Services, said Wednesday, “Meals going out is our priority.”
During a recent month, 10 centers prepared 13,743 “congregate” and home-delivered meals.
Hot meals that meet nutrition requirements are on the menu – not just a sandwich – and those who plan to pick them up should call their nearest center before 10 a.m. for that day’s takeout, Monday through Friday.
If a participant has a medical appointment the next day, for example, that would interfere with pickup time, he or she can receive two meals at once.
Meal service is available to those age 60 and older with a suggested donation of $2 toward the cost of the food, not the salaries of those who are preparing it or other factors.
Manni said someone who is struggling can call 888-301-1836.
“Our main focus is to make sure our seniors are getting food,” Manni said. “We’ll figure out a way.”
Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan said The Meadows Racetrack and Casino, which closed Monday due to the coronavirus pandemic, offered to provide food it had on hand in its kitchens to senior citizen centers.
Manni, assistant director of Washington County Aging Services, said the casino’s donations of fresh fruit, for example, were being added to takeout meals.
Irey Vaughan asked Don Martin, executive director of Intermediate Unit 1, based in Coal Center and covering Washington, Greene and Fayette counties, to get out the word that volunteer high school students who have driver’s licenses could deliver meals for community service credit while classes are suspended.
“Senior centers would be a great place to do that since they’re in dire need of services right now,” Martin said.
“They should really contact their school principal first of all. Students would need parental consent.”
Because after-school programs for juvenile offenders aren’t operating, probation officers have been aiding in meal delivery, Manni said.
“Even though this is an unprecedented event, it’s nice seeing the groups come together that normally don’t,” Manni said. “I know it’s still early, but we’re pooling and we’ll get the job done.”