George Shaw is the author/investigator/ collector of the information in this pandemic-created weekly article, letting people who have lost jobs and much more where to find food for their families. It also tells the rest of us how we can help those who need it.
Impact of Stay At Home Orders on Food Security
Today’s column will focus on the impact of the stay in place orders on food security programs. Pantries, distribution efforts and community gardens have adjusted to social distancing. However, there remain significant issues with a number of upcoming events and initiatives.
Will guidelines change soon? North Carolina is in Phase 2 of re-opening through at least June 26. Current guidelines are for a maximum of 10 for indoor events and 25 for outdoor gatherings. The wording for Phase 3 is vague – there will be a “further increase in the number of people at gatherings.”
Additional loosening of the guidelines is dependent on trends in COVID-19. The seven day moving average for tests, cases and deaths in our state continues to rise slowly although the rate of growth has declined. However, our state compares favorably compared to the other 21 states with at least 25,000 cases of the virus. Among these states, North Carolina has the 6th lowest cases in terms of the percentage of population as well as the 3rd lowest in percentage of deaths from the virus. However, it also ranks as the 7th lowest in terms of the portion of the population that has been tested for COVID-19.
How is Wake County doing? Seven counties in our state have populations of 250,000 or more. Wake County has the lowest number of cases and deaths among these large counties as measured by percent of population. Its rate of cases and deaths are roughly 25 to 30 percent those of Durham County.
So what can we expect in terms of easing of restrictions after June 26? If our state continues to move cautiously, the limit may be increased from 10 to 25 for indoor and from 25 to 50 for outdoor gatherings in several weeks. The issue for food security events with 100-350 volunteers is that this would not help enough to make a significant impact. Here is a run-down of how different types of events have been coping with the limitation of the size of gatherings.
Impact on our programs
Food pantries and distribution events. These were declared essential services in Phase 1 and all of our programs moved to curbside with social distancing strategies. Demand at pantries remains up around 30 percent compared to mid-March. Hope House’s Thursday afternoon distribution remains suspended; New Bethel Baptist’s program is now operating at about half of its pre-virus capacity. Similarly, the two food banks in Raleigh are currently required to operate with much of their staff working remotely as well as with limited numbers of volunteers helping bag food.
The major growth has been with distribution programs. Several major programs were in existence last year. These include the Northern Regional Center, Summer Nutrition Program and Wake Forest Baptist’s 3rd Tuesday afternoon distribution.
Raleigh Dream Center’s program started in our area last fall. Their half a dozen sites among Wake Forest, Rolesville and Youngsville have distributed food to about 75,000 residents over the last ten weeks. This represents about 25 percent of the approximately 300,000 meals that they have passed out in and around Wake County. In addition, Rolesville has targeted the mobile home communities in their area.
Several food distribution programs remain suspended. This is because the churches where the food is assembled remain closed.
Community Gardens. The limitation of 25 volunteers is not a significant issue as the gardens sponsored by Wake Forest Baptist, Wake Forest Presbyterian and the Northeast Community Coalition are already producing fresh produce for area pantries.
Big upcoming events may be severely impacted. The largest food security events in the Wake Forest area during the year are potato bagging, Crop Hunger Walk and Rise Against Hunger. Each of these has 100-350 volunteers per event.
Crop Hunger Walk. The walk in Wake Forest is one of the oldest in the nation as it goes back 40+ years. All Crop Hunger Walk programs will be virtual this year including the ours which will be on Sunday, September 27. Last year’s roughly 180 walkers raised more than $13,000, and 25 percent of these contributions went to Tri-Area Ministry and Hope House. The balance went to fund emergency hunger relief as well as water development projects overseas.
Rise Against Hunger. Formerly Stop Hunger Now, this is another long standing tradition in our area. Rolesville’s meal packing event last February had 350+ volunteers and bagged 69,000 meals for developing countries. These events are indoors so significant changes have been made to the packing process including small working groups of related people as well as multiple shifts. The remaining events in our area include one at Wake Forest Baptist Church in September, a community-wide Mission Quake event in mid-October as well as one sponsored by Wellspring Church at Heritage High School in mid-November.
Gleaning. This initiative which is sponsored by the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) was covered in detail last week. The cap of 25 volunteers harvesting on farms will not be a significant issue in the short run. However, an increase to 50 people will help gleaning as summer crops such as corn, squash, watermelons and cucumbers can be harvested.
Farm to Pantry. SoSA is embarking on a new initiative that is initially focused on helping four commercial farms near Elizabeth City, about 100 miles east of Wake Forest. Phase 1 is to bring up to a million pounds of white potatoes, green beans and cucumbers to drop sites in the major urban areas of the eastern half of North Carolina during the next month or so. Tractor trailers will deliver about 40,000 pounds per event to central locations where pantries and feeding programs can pick up pallet size loads. Volunteers will be needed to unload and load the pallets as well as to break large quantities into smaller amounts for pantries. Although SoSA is modifying work flows to ensure social distancing, it will be difficult to distribute such large quantities if the cap on volunteers remains 25. In addition, there will be the need for a number of drivers to transport smaller loads to area programs.
The game plan is to expand this program to help Wake County farms. SoSA is partnered with the Farm Advocacy Circle of the Capital Area Food Network to work with farms so that they have an additional channel to market.
How residents can help
There are several ways that residents in our area can help:
Donate to pantries. Our pantries that remain open need canned and shelf stable food as well as hygiene products. The best time to donate to them is in the hour before they open for customers.
Organize drive-through food drives. These are easy for organizations to set up. It helps to have a protected space such as a patio protected from the elements as well as an area indoors where the food can be stored overnight.
Donate funds. Food pantries spend much of donated funds on what they need to ensure customers receive nutritious food. This includes fresh produce at grocery stores as well as weekly pick-ups from the food bank in Raleigh. The food bank charges pantries 19 cents a pound for most items including meat.
Identify resources. The Northeast Community Coalition and other organizations are looking for non-profits that can help residents with needs arising from the economic consequences of the virus.
Volunteer. As the number of customers rises, there may be a need for more volunteers at our pantries and feeding programs. There is particular need for younger volunteers who are at least risk of catching the virus. Gleaning in the fields to pick crops will start up late spring under the sponsorship of the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA).
Drive. There will also likely be an increased requirement for folks who are willing to help out by driving. This includes transporting food between pantries as well as delivering food to home bound citizens.
Programs and Contact Information
Please contact the Wake Forest Gazette or George Shaw (g0b07shaw@gmail.com) if you are aware of additional programs or would like to start one.
*Glory Tabernacle (120 Weather St., Youngsville)
– Tuesdays, 2 p.m.
*New Bethel Baptist Church (605 E. Young St., Rolesville)
– Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
– 3rd Saturdays, 8 to 10 a.m.
*North Wake Church (1212 S. Main St., Wake Forest)
– Sundays, 8:45 to 10:30 a.m.
*Northern Regional Center (350 E. Holding St., Wake Forest)
– Mondays – Thursdays lunch/breakfast program (drive by)
– Friday weekend special program (drive by)
*Oak Level Christian Church (2279 Cedar Creek Rd., Youngsville)
– Wednesdays, 11 a.m. – 12 noon
*Raleigh Dream Center (programs at New Hope Village in Northeast as well as mobile home parks in Rolesville and Youngsville)
– Weekdays starting at 11:30 a.m.
– Saturdays starting at 10 a.m.
*Richland Creek Community Church (3229 Burlington Mill Rd., Wake Forest)
– 2nd & 4th Saturdays (drive through)
*Rolesville High School (1099 E. Young St., Rolesville.)
– Wake County Public School System Children & Family Meal Site
– Weekdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
*Rolesville Middle School (4700 Burlington MIlls Dr., Rolesville)
– Wake County Public School System Children & Family Meal Site
– Weekdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
*Sanford Creek Elementary (701 Granite Falls Road, Rolesville)
– Wake County Public School System Children & Family Meal Site
– Weekdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
*Summer Nutrition Program – at Hope House (334 N. Allen St., Wake Forest)
– Mondays – Wednesdays, 5+ p.m.
*Tri-Area Ministry (149 E. Holding St., Wake Forest)
– Mondays, Wednesdays & third Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (drive through)
– Food distribution at Spring St. Church (northeast Wake Forest) fourth Saturday
*Universal Outreach (4913 Universal Dr., Wake Forest)
– 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 9-11 a.m.
*Wake Forest Baptist Church
– Good Neighbor Ministry, Saturdays at 11 a.m. passes out hot dogs and water at Taylor St. Park
– Mobile Market (partnered with Inter Faith Food Shuttle, 3rd Tuesday starting at 4 pm (drive through)
*Rocky Top Catering Truck
– Mondays and Thursdays providing a refrigerated family dinner to anyone who needs it
It is parked at 1 Dannon Court in Ponderosa Park from 12 to 12:30 p.m. and then at Star Road and Doris Lane from 1:05 to 1:30 p.m.
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