PORT ANGELES – With the record number of layoffs and furloughs throughout our community because of the virus scare, local food banks are preparing for what could be a dramatic increase in clientele.
At the same time, they’ve had to cut back on their number of volunteers to reduce exposure and, in the case of the Port Angeles Food Bank, transition to a drive-through service only and go from 3-days-a-week to 2-days-a-week.
Executive Director Emily Dexter, appearing on the Todd Ortloff Show, says just how big the problem will get is anybody’s guess.
“Yeah, I’m on the phone two days a week with the Washington State Department of Agriculture, and they’re telling us to expect two and a half times our normal clientele and then, in a worst-case scenario, up to four times. Again, it’s unpredictable. None of us really know what we’re doing here.”
We asked if despite a growing need, she was confident they had enough food to go around this Spring.
“Right now, yes we do. We are increasing our purchasing. Northwest Harvest has sent us almost all of the hunger bags food that everybody did over November and December. We’re getting an immense amount of food from that. And then they’re going to front-load the federal food from May and June and deliver that in April. We’re still waiting to hear what that looks like after that first and second month.”
Dexter says that one of the many drawbacks in the current crisis is that they’ve had to stop accepting food donations from households because they’re told that the food has to be quarantined for various lengths of time, and the reduced staffing makes that impossible to manage.
That means cash donations are needed now more than ever.
“Absolutely. Right now, it’s really important to pay attention to our website, portangelesfoodbank.org, our Facebook page, and you can also donate by texting “feed Clallam” to 44321.”
The Port Angeles Food Bank has gone to drive-through service on Wednesdays and Fridays only from 11:30am to 2:00pm. Dexter asks that you please go to the website and make an appointment in order to spread out the flow of customers.
In Sequim, service is on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays with a similar drive-through operation. Go to sequimfoodbank.org to learn more.
Photo: PA Food Bank’s new drive-through setup.