COVID-19 Hunger Relief & Support

COVID-19 – HOW YOU CAN HELP

Feeding the Carolinas is so thankful for your passion and dedication to our mission to fight food insecurity and hunger through this challenging time.

So many of you have already reached out to our member food banks to offer your support to ensure no one goes hungry in our communities, many asking – “How Can I Help?”

Here are at least 3 ways in which you can help:

1 – Neighbor to Neighbor

2 – Donate

3 – Volunteer

NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR. Serve those closest to you.

As you look to provide food for those in need, please take care of your own neighborhood, your own community first. That is not only the right thing to do, but also the more you can do to take care of your members it lessens the burden on the food bank network. Run to the grocery store or pharmacy for your high-risk members, and be there for them. It’s a huge help in many ways.

DONATE FUNDS. Please make a financial donation to Feeding the Carolinas or one of its member Food Banks’ general food distribution work.

As COVID19 becomes more pervasive in our communities, resulting in a need to purchase additional food and/or provide food to more people due to disruptions in their work/income, you can help make sure we can help.

To give to Feeding the Carolinas to support overall NC and SC, give here.

To give to a local Food Bank, click on the food bank –

MANNA Foodbank, Asheville area

Second Harvest of NWNC, Triad area

Second Harvest of Metrolina, Charlotte are and Metrolina NC/SC

Second Harvest of SouthEast NC – Fayetteville area

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle – Triangle area

Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC – Triangle area and East

Food Bank of the Albemarle – Elizabeth City and NorthEast

Harvest Hope Food Bank – Columbia area

Lowcountry Food Bank – Charleston area

Golden Harvest Food Bank – Augusta area and South SC

Volunteers Needed!

To our Food Banks supporters,

VOLUNTEER.

Q: Are there still volunteer opportunities?

The answer is YES! – Our Food Banks greatly relies on our volunteers, especially in times of crisis. We don’t yet know the long-term impact COVID-19 will have, but as always, we are here for the long haul. We are committed to serving those in need, and we are currently open and welcoming volunteer support.

Currently, we know that many people might need to self-isolate, especially people who are in the high risk categories (65+ years of age and immune compromised individuals). The people we serve across the Carolinas are already facing a daily struggle without this compounding factor, and if the many working people we support are forced to stay home, they will be in even deeper crisis.

Q: Can anyone volunteer?

Unfortunately, No – If you are feeling sick, displaying any symptoms of illness, or think you may have come in contact with the virus, please stay home. It is true that we rely on volunteer power to get the job done, but we need you to be healthy and operating at 100% to make that happen! Please do not put yourself or anyone else at risk by coming to volunteer when sick. If you are displaying signs of illness while on site at one of the Food Banks, one of our team members will ask you to return home.

We are also limiting our volunteers to ages 18-60 to protect those at higher risk.

Q: Does volunteering look different because of COVID19?

Yes – Your support is vital to our success, so our Food Banks are taking extra steps to ensure your safety based on CDC guidelines and best practices. Beyond our standard, daily safety and hygiene processes, we are regularly disinfecting volunteer areas and requiring all volunteers to wash their hands for the recommended 20 seconds upon arrival to provide a safe and clean environment to help the community.

We’re also keeping our sessions below 50 people in accordance with guidelines around large groups to ensure volunteers have adequate space to distance themselves from one another. We encourage you to pre-register as an individual, rather than in groups, using our Food Banks’ online volunteer self-signup systems. You can find that link at each Food Banks’ site, or go to “Find a Food Bank” on FTC’s website. If you choose to sign up, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible if you’re unable to attend so that we can invite other interested volunteers.

Q: What if I have questions?

Check out our Food Banks’ websites! – Currently their human resources and other staff are focused on supporting the crisis, so we encourage you to visit their websites instead of calling to learn more about what to consider when volunteering. Find their volunteer links here:

Again, thank you so much for partnering with us, and for your support during COVID-19 as well as day-in and day-out.

COVID-19 Resources for Information

With the emergence of COVID-19 on a state, national, and global level, Feeding the Carolinas is working with its member Feeding America Food Banks, DHHS, Feeding America, and other organizations to provide assistance with hunger relief in North and South Carolina, and the tens of thousands of residents and families we serve.

Key sources of information we recommend include:

The Centers for Disease Control

NC Department of Human Services

SC Department of Health and Environmental Control

While we don’t currently know the long-term implications of the virus, we do know there will be economic implications. We will continue to keep our website updated with important and relevant information as we work to address the most acute issues coming out of this situation.