COVID-19 Update - All Are Welcome
at Food Bank Member Agencies
The Food Bank has been working hard to distribute food
to our neighbors in need through our statewide network of food pantries
and meal sites. We’ve also been adapting our operations to meet the
increased demand, particularly among vulnerable populations like
children and seniors.
All Are
Welcome
 Many Rhode Islanders are experiencing
food insecurity for the first time as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
They may never have sought food assistance through our network of food
pantries and meal sites.
At the member agencies of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank,
all are welcome - Todos
Son Bienvenidos - regardless of background, including
immigration status. Our priority is to provide assistance to those most
in need, so please help us spread the word that our network is here to
help by sharing the link to: https://rifoodbank.org/find-food/
Meals, Ready
to Eat (MREs)
 The Food Bank
is working with RIEMA to deliver 45,000 Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs) to
towns and cities across Rhode Island. Each community will receive their
requested supply and issue them to individuals at the local level. The
MRE kits will not be available directly to the public through the Food
Bank but a supply will be delivered to member agencies in our network.
Thousands have already gone out, and we anticipate that by the end of
the week nearly 75% will be distributed. We expect that we will receive
more of these meals from FEMA as the crisis continues. To learn more
about MREs, visit the COVID-19 Response page of our website.
Operations
Update
 To meet the increased need at our
member agencies, the Food Bank added deliveries on Saturday. Our
drivers will be making sure that shelves stay stocked with healthy,
nutritious food.
In the past three weeks, we’ve distributed 2,624 Meals4Kids boxes, more
than twice the number we usually give out in a whole month. Each pack
contains a week’s worth of meals and snacks for kids. We continue to
deliver more boxes to our member agencies so that we can meet the
demand.
And we’re preparing our Senior Box distribution for April as part of
our ongoing monthly Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Each
month, we provide 1,660 older adults with a box of healthy,
supplemental food. Normally, these boxes are packed by volunteers, but
due to COVID-19 restrictions on groups, our staff are putting them
together.
Thank you!
Along with the outpouring of contributions from businesses and
individuals like you, we’ve received many kind words. Here’s a quote
from one of our recent donors, Janice from Riverside:
“I am proud of
the effort to address so many issues relating to this emergency.
I am a long-retired nurse who is among the vulnerable population and
wish I could do more.”
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