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LOCK HAVEN -- In order to feed the growing number of Pennsylvanians who need help due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's emergency Feeding Task Force has tapped The Salvation Army (TSA) Eastern Pennsylvania/Delaware & Western Pennsylvania (PA) divisions to help get food into the hands of tens of thousands across the Keystone State.
And that includes the Lock Haven Salvation Army, which has joined the effort.
Under the terms of the four-week contract, Operation BBQ Relief is using a network of barbecue restaurants and food distributors across PA to provide 180,000 freshly prepared and pre-packaged meals per week to individuals, seniors and families in need. All meals will be packed in boxes that provide enough food for a family of four for four days. Salvation Army workers will distribute the boxes of much-needed food to those in need across the state.
With many living paycheck to paycheck, experiencing fewer hours on the job or even termination due to COVID-19, vulnerable Pennsylvanians lack the resources to stock up on essentials, including food. In these times of great distress, The Salvation Army is teaming up with community partners to ensure that the state's most vulnerable populations do not go hungry during this health crisis. Pennsylvania restaurants, forced to lay off workers and close their indoor dining rooms due to state-imposed stay-at-home orders directly related to COVID-19, have hired employees to assist with making meals for The Salvation Army to distribute. It's a win-win collaboration and working together is key.
"The economic impact of the COVID-19 public health crisis is creating significant disruptions, severely challenging families across Pennsylvania. In times like this, it is imperative that we mobilize to be a helping hand however and wherever we can," said First Lady Frances Wolf. "I am so deeply grateful to The Salvation Army and Operation BBQ for their work together during this difficult time and their shared willingness to help those who need it most."
"Many hands make light work. Operation BBQ Relief is connecting with closed restaurants, empowering them to open their doors and bring their staff back to work as partners in the newly established program Operation Restaurant Relief. We utilize the restaurant kitchens and staff to prepare meals for their local communities. We believe strongly in empowering good people to do great things," insisted Jarrid "Jay" Collins, Chief Programs Officer, Operation BBQ Relief.
This isn't the first time The Salvation Army has partnered with Operation BBQ Relief. Since 2011, TSA has worked with Operation BBQ Relief in major disasters all over the world to ensure that those in need of a hot meal received it, no matter if the circumstance was flood, tornado, hurricane, fire or, in this case, a global pandemic. "The unique skill sets of Operation BBQ Relief personnel, staff and volunteers, combined with The Salvation Army's extraordinary distribution capabilities make us a mass feeding dream team," Collins asserted.
Operation BBQ Relief is overseeing the making of freshly balanced dinners that feature a protein/meat, vegetable and starch. The dinners will be frozen to ensure a longer shelf life. Operation BBQ Relief is providing dry-good breakfasts and lunches for The Salvation Army to distribute, as well. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is covering the cost for all food and is also providing refrigeration/freezer trucks to transport the food to six warehouses each week and remain onsite to store the frozen food until it is distributed. The six warehouses that will house the food are spread throughout the state: Philadelphia, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport, Lebanon, Pittsburgh and Altoona.
Salvation Army workers from Corps Community Centers across the state will pick up the boxes from the nearest warehouse and transport them to their local Corps. Using a "Corps at the Door" approach at all Salvation Army feeding sites, workers will quickly distribute the food boxes to individuals and families who desperately need it in each local community. To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Salvation Army workers across the state will wear masks, gloves and practice social distancing while distributing the boxes of food outside of Salvation Army facilities to limit person-to-person contact and comply with local and state government recommendations.
"At a time when we are seeing tremendous increases in unemployment and the need for food across the state, this partnership ensures that The Salvation Army can continue to be a beacon of hope and healing as we have for more than 150 years," said Lt. Col. Larry Ashcraft, Divisional Commander, The Salvation Army Eastern Pennsylvania/Delaware Division. "There is no quarantine from hunger. We thank the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Operation BBQ Relief for joining hands with us to get food into the hands and mouths of people who need it most, during these desperate times."
To donate to The Salvation Army of Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware please visit pendelsalvationarmy.org.