The Grapevine: Among Many Heroes Surfacing during Pandemic is Local Group Feeding Families, Pets
By Rosalyn Queen on April 30, 2020 from The Grapevine
HEROES!!!
This is a word that is used daily and during this period in our history it usually refers to those individuals who are fighting the Coronavirus. There are those doctors, nurses, hospital staff and many others who are fighting valiantly to get us through this crisis.
But over the last three weeks I have found another group who I think could also be hailed as hero’s. Almost every day I have been going to the Uptown Event Center on Washington Avenue where the Progressive Women's Association is located and where they operate a food bank year round. Food is distributed to individuals, guided by their incomes. But-since this pandemic guidelines have been lifted and food is being distributed by a demonstrated need.
The dining room has been converted into a distribution center and since the need has been so big two more freezers have been obtained to handle the perishable food. In keeping with the quarantine, clients are not allowed inside but usually call and place their orders and then the volunteers hand their food to them through the door.
The support from the community has been overwhelming. Three volunteers, with trucks, will pick up the food from local merchants at least twice weekly and deliver it to the center. Volunteers unpack it and sort it out and place it in refrigerators. We have had members who have spent hundreds of dollars to supplement the food supply.
Applications will contain information as to how many adults and children are in the household. A volunteer will take the application and box the order according to the needs and availability of food. The Pet Pantry will supply food for cats or dogs if the household has any.
The PWA has a full time paid Director and a part time maintenance man. These two have been working many hours supplemented by volunteers. They have even delivered food when individuals could not get to the center. There are a lot of evenings and most weekends when the center is open.
It does not take much for us to figure out what has created this problem. You know there are many families who live from payday to payday. So when that payday is missed families face a crisis of how to fill their tummies.
I tip my hat to all those individuals who are making a very vital part of our existence during this pandemic work. It takes hero’s of every kind to take care of each other.
Take care of yourself and of each other and until next week “Now You Have Heard It Through The Grapevine.”
Leave a Comment
Log in or create an account to post a comment.