MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Mid-South Food Bank is calling on volunteers to help increase efforts to help those impacted by the coronavirus closings.
“We need to be prepared,” Mid-South Food Bank CEO Cathy Pope said. “We don’t need to panic. Everyone just needs to work together.”
Pope says they need to focus on the demand of children being home from school. Parents are going to be out of work as businesses and restaurants closed.
“…Then of course our seniors, we’re always want to make sure we’re serving them as well,” Pope said.
The first goal is to pack 50,000 boxes and add from there. Volunteers will spend this week packing meals daily.
The food bank is limiting groups to 50 at a time and adding more protocols like requiring gloves.
Amy Faye and her 12-year-old son Rylan are some of the people helping out.
“Kids are affected by it because they’re out of school and they normally eat at school,” Rylan said. “They don’t have any meals because schools out. So, we need to get meals to them and help people affected by the coronavirus.”
“I think it’s the least that we could do to try to help people,” Amy said. “Not everybody has the ability to go from grocery store to grocery store and stuff.”
She’s hoping Rylan takes something greater away from this experience.
“It teaches life lessons,” She said. “So, hopefully he’ll learn to give back and know it’s not always about you. It’s good to help others.”
