BARRHEAD-The Barrhead food bank had enough supplies to meet the needs of its clients for the immediate future, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of some major sources of donations.
That is what the food bank's coordinator Cheri Jantz said when the Barrhead Leader decided to check in with the food bank after a recent community event, the Pumpkin Walk, was cancelled. The popular event, usually held the Friday before Halloween, often netted the food bank several vehicle loads of non-perishable food items.
The food bank is one of the programs run by Barrhead and District Family Community Support Services (FCSS) through its community funding arm.
Unlike many FCSS organizations, the one in Barrhead is a not-for-profit society which offers several services not offered by their counterparts in other communities.
Jantz said the contributions from not only the Pumpkin Walk but an annual food drive Thanksgiving food drive normally helped restore their stocks that had been depleted during the summer months when donations are lower.
However, because of the coronavirus, the food bank moved away from taking physical food donations to accepting financial contributions only, so they were prepared.
"The reality is we don't have anywhere to store the food because it has to be put into isolation for a certain amount of time before we hand it out," Jantz said, adding they have been using two weeks as a guide.
Part of the reason they do not have the space to quarantine food for hampers and have extra storage space is the need for FCSS to enact physical distancing protocols for all their programs.
On occasion, a community group, service club or well-meaning individual does come in with food items they have collected.
"We are so grateful that they are thinking about us but unfortunately we just can't accept it at this time," she said. "Hopefully, there will be a time when we know more about and have the resources to manage COVID differently that we can start accepting food items once again.”
Jantz added that despite relying on financial contributions, the food bank has managed to fill its commitments.
"The community has continued to support us financially. We really have been the recipients of lots of dollars," she said.
Which is a good thing because after an initial dip in the number of requests for food hampers, the numbers are back to normal, and are increasing slowly at about two to four new families a week.
Jantz said the food bank has also decreased the time limit between food bank visits from six weeks to four
"We have also tried to increase the amount that is in the hampers in an attempt to meet clients needs," she said. "In the last six months, grocery prices have gone up, so families that may have had trouble meeting their financial obligations … finding it that much harder," she said.
The food bank has also changed the way clients receive their hampers. To reduce contact with the public, food bank clients are asked to prearrange a pickup time at FCSS. At the prearranged time, a volunteer will bring out the client's food hamper to the parking lot on a trolley, then return to the building. After the client leaves with their hamper, the trolley is retrieved, sanitized and the process is repeated.
Food bank volunteers are now also arranging appointments directly and as a result, there is a different phone number 780-284-7390.
"Everything is still confidential but this way if anyone needs something specific, they make the request directly to the people making up the hampers," Jantz said.
