Foodshare's top priority is the safety and well-being of our volunteers and staff, our partner programs, and of course the community we serve.
Bloomfield, CT
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Dear Friends:
I am writing to update you on Foodshare’s plan as it relates to the coronavirus (COVID-19). This pandemic is evolving by the hour, and I want to affirm that our top priority is the safety and well-being of our volunteers and staff, our partner programs, and of course the community we serve.
First and foremost: please take care of yourself both physically and mentally. Our personal lives, our professional lives and our world in general are stressful enough without a global health crisis, so we completely understand that this can all be quite a bit to handle at such a rapid pace. The work we all do is certainly important (especially at times like this), but we can't do our collective work if we aren't taking care of our own health.
While none of us know exactly what will occur over the next few weeks, we did want to share the following information with you:
- Foodshare is already seeing a dramatic decrease in our volunteers due to many businesses canceling outside activities. We ask that if any high school or college students are available to volunteer over their extended break and are symptom free, please consider signing up to volunteer at www.foodshare.org/volunteer.
- Our Hunger Action Team Symposium originally scheduled for April 2nd has been cancelled.
- Our Walk Against Hunger (our single largest fundraiser of the year) is thankfully a very long 58 days away and is still proceeding as normal.
- No person who has been to countries on the CDC watch list within the last 30 days will be allowed into any of our facilities until further notice. Please see: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices.
- There is an increasing likelihood that public school districts in our service area will close in the weeks ahead. If/when that happens, we can expect increased demand at our pantries and longer lines at our Mobile Foodshare sites.
These are uneasy times for all of us and for those we serve. The one thing that we do know, though, is that our community always comes together to support our neighbors in need... and this time will be no different. While we expect to experience significant financial and emotional strain in the weeks ahead, our commitment to those we serve remains strong.
We will continue to keep you posted as this crisis unfolds and as we learn more. For up-to-date information please visit our website: www.foodshare.org/coronavirus.
Gratefully,
Jason Jakubowski
President & CEO
Foodshare
About Foodshare
Foodshare is leading an informed, coordinated response to hunger in our community. Foodshare is the Feeding America food bank serving Connecticut’s Hartford and Tolland counties, where 118,000 people struggle with hunger. In partnership with the food industry, donors, community leaders and volunteers, Foodshare works to maximize access to nutritious food and other resources that support food security. Last year, Foodshare distributed more than 11 million meals worth of food to a network of 280 local food pantries, meal programs, and Mobile Foodshare sites. And, because it takes more than food to end hunger, Foodshare collaborates with anti-hunger organizations, policy makers, and the broader community to build effective solutions to end hunger.
Foodshare is changing what it means to be a food bank. For more information, visit www.foodshare.org, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
