Empty grocery stores shelves trickling down to SC charities in coronavirus crunch
With food items flying off store shelves, a group that provides 32 million pounds of food to needy South Carolinians is feeling the impact of coronavirus.
The Lowcountry Food Bank once was able to count on certain items to be donated, either by companies or individuals. Lowcountry Food Bank Chief Development Officer Brenda Shaw said items like macaroni and cheese and canned poultry were donation staples. But, as people prepare for self-isolation, those items are not coming into the food bank like in previous weeks.
That means the food bank has to buy those and other goods to provide to the community.
Still, the food bank wants people to know it will continue to provide for those in need.
“We are operating right now just like last week or the week before,” Shaw said.
The Lowcountry Food Bank, based in Charleston, partners with 300 agencies in South Carolina, such as church food pantries. It also provides services directly to the community through programs like the children’s feeding program, which they are still packing, Shaw said.
The nonprofit is packing boxes that contain 21 meals, enough for three weeks, for clients. That is more than typical, but is an effort to try and reduce the number of social interactions between the food bank and the people they serve.
The biggest need right now at the Food Bank is for money that can be used to purchased goods, Shaw said. People can also donate food. She stressed that it’s long been the organization’s practice to disinfect food that comes in before it’s packaged and sent to clients.
The pantry also has space and jobs for anyone looking to volunteer to help.
“We have plenty of hand sanitizer to use,” Shaw said.
Horry County impacts
Charities in the Myrtle Beach area are also making changes to their operations in light of coronavirus fears.
Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church in Murrells Inlet runs a food pantry and Pastor Brad Bellah said the pantry might have to close next week because of fewer donations from the Lowcountry Food Bank. The church also changed the way it provides lunch to the community every Wednesday.
Instead of inviting people to the church, volunteers are bagging lunch and offering drive-thru pick up, Bellah said.
The Salvation Army has also made several changes to its services, Capt. Carl Melton said. The country’s four re-sale stores remain open to the public. Melton said with other retail stores open, they feel safe in keeping the stores open — though the staff is constantly cleaning.
“Our staff has been equipped with cleaning supplies,” Melton said.
On Thursday and Fridays, the Salvation Army’s 2nd Avenue facility offered a food pantry where neighbors — their term for clients — could pick out items for their families. The organization changed that procedure and is now packing food up and distributing curbside, Melton said.
The Salvation Army also provides services, such as help paying utility bills. But, Melton said requests for those services are down as the utility companies have stated they won’t turn off service during the crisis.
Volunteers help in many Salvation Army programs, though Melton said they don’t want to add too many more helpers. As people look for things to pass the time with no work or school, Melton said if there is a dramatic jump in volunteers, it means more people in close spaces.
Many people don’t realize, but the Salvation Army is also a church and Melton said they are going to virtual services, with a call-in option, to help social distancing efforts.
“Our doors are open, we’re still providing services,” Melton said.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 12:05 PM with the headline "Empty grocery stores shelves trickling down to SC charities in coronavirus crunch."
