Standing Up for Food Justice in a Time of Fear: Pandemic Reflections | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.

"There was a part of me, certainly, that wanted to obey these instructions to protect my loved ones and myself. But volunteering at a food pantry meant doing the exact opposite. It required going outside of our homes, having regular face-to-face contact, and maintaining far less than six feet of distance with the people to whom we were distributing food."

"Most of us were deeply worried about catching COVID-19. This was a grave risk, but many of our community members would be going hungry without proper support. We knew other pantries wouldn't be open, and that many of our patrons might be at even greater risk going to supermarkets. The decision to remain open was a difficult one. We debated and discussed ways to keep ourselves safe-masking, social distancing, operating our pantry in an open space."

Volunteers at Los Sures Comida in Williamsburg continued operating a food pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding distributions beyond the pre-pandemic monthly service to about 600 community members. Public health directives urged people to stay home and maintain six feet of distance, but pantry work required close, in-person contact. The team held a long meeting weighing health risks, family safety, and the likelihood of widespread hunger if other pantries closed. Volunteers implemented mitigation measures such as masking, social distancing adaptations, and moving operations outdoors. Many clients were senior citizens and non-English speakers who relied on the pantry for food.

Read at Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.