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Food Bank supplies running low in era of hoarding, limited supplies

Local charities in desperate need of donations, non-perishable goods

By Wesley LeBlanc wesley@opcfla.com
Posted 4/8/20

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Food pantries are always an important part of their surrounding community but amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, their importance for families in the area have risen to …

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Food Bank supplies running low in era of hoarding, limited supplies

Local charities in desperate need of donations, non-perishable goods


Posted

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Food pantries are always an important part of their surrounding community but amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, their importance for families in the area have risen to new heights.

Grocery stores around the nation are being cleaned out of everyday supplies like toilet paper and hand soap. It’s also not any easier to purchase food and necessary goods in times like this for families that already struggle to do so coronavirus notwithstanding. Food pantries in Clay County are working hard to meet the needs of those families and more but they need your help.

“Our stock is never this low,” Assistant Director of the Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs Jean Cosby said. “We usually have this stocked to the top and as you can see, our supply is dwindling. We need donations.”

The Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs has been serving its community for 31 years but never before has doing so been harder than it is right now, according to its director, Wynema Lovell. She said it’s a new ball game and that the pantry has never been this stressed physically or emotionally. But, it’s dedication to the community of Green Cove Springs and wider Clay County that keeps them going.

The pantry is open Monday through Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Their operation is simple, effective and most importantly right now, sanitized.

A person or family in need can pass through the pantry’s makeshift drive thru. The volunteers place brown bags of food on a sanitized table. After all of the volunteers walk back into the building, food can be retrieved from the table. After that person leaves, a volunteer cleans and sanitizes the table before the next family.

Every volunteer sanitizes their hands with hand sanitizer often and wears a face mask and gloves as well. Luvell said that sadly, the pantry has had to discourage its older volunteers from volunteering their work.

“We’ve got volunteers that have worked here for years and years,” Lovell said. “Once you start, if it’s truly your calling, you do this until you physically can’t anymore. Because of the virus’ risk to older people, we’ve had to tell our older volunteers to stay home and that’s heartbreaking.”

Lovell said that young people have, however, stepped up to fill the void. A tour through the pantry’s facility reveal teenagers and young adults packing Ziploc bags with dry rice, filling brown bags with canned goods and more. Because the younger population is less at-risk to the more fatal side of the coronavirus, Lovell said younger volunteers have been the heartbeat of the pantry during the virus’ outbreak.

This food pantry is independent. The City of Green Cove Springs helps them out immensely though. It pays for their facility’s rent and helps cover maintenance costs. The city police department is collecting goods in its lobby, and donation bins have been placed at local Publix supermarkets.

“We’re so beyond grateful for what they do for us,” Lovell said. “It wouldn’t be possible without their support.”

The one thing the pantry needs right now, more than ever, is donations. Non-perishables like boxed macaroni and cheese, canned meats, canned vegetables, and things like ramen or prepackaged chips are in demand.

One obstacle for the Food Pantry is hoarding. Most supermarkets now limit the number of canned goods and non-perishables to two. That makes it difficult for the Food Bank to keep up with demand.

“If people want to donate food or necessities to us, we would so appreciate that,” Lovell said. “They can come right to our place (1107 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Green Cove Springs).”

Not too far from that food pantry is the food pantry of New Mt. Zion Church. Its director, Barbara Flynn, said their pantry is in need of donations, too. One thing they really need right now is baby diapers.

“It’s been busier than ever before,” Flynn said. “We’ve managed but there are, of course, some items we need.”

New Mt. Zion Church’s process is very much a drive-thru service. Those in need drive up with their vehicle, open their trunk, and a volunteer will place a box of food and other necessities in the car before closing it. They drive off and the next vehicle pulls through.

“It’s very contactless,” Flynn said.

The church’s pastor, Gene Dillon, said the pantry is serving more than double of the amount of people it usually serves.

“It’s really amazing how many people are helping out those in need right now,” Dillon said. “Our church numbers have been lower, but people are reaching out just to talk or pray.”

Dillon said the church’s pantry has plenty of volunteers – some don’t go to church – and while it doesn’t need more volunteers at the moment, financial donations would go a long way. Every other week, the church purchases a semi-truck’s worth of groceries on its own dime to give out during its bi-weekly food drives.

With less people attending church regularly due to the virus, less tithe and donations are coming in. Dillon said he’s not begging for financial help and that the church will find a way to supply food to its community in one way or another, but humbly asked that if anyone wants to help out, they do so by donating money or supplies like diapers.

The church’s food drives are twice a month. The next one is scheduled for April 22. Dillon suggests that people start lining up around 7 a.m.

“It’s important for us to be here for our community like this,” Dillon said. “We’ve never had something like this happen so suddenly and all at once and it’s important now that we band together in the ways that we can.”

Dillon mentioned that starting next week, local chefs will begin cooking prepackaged meals and sealing them to give away to families in need. There will be enough to feed about 75 families each week, Dillon said, and he suggests calling the church now to add your name to the list.