Community Action Partnership of Kernfood bank is prepared for more families to utilize their distribution centers due to the unemployment benefits of $600 per week set to expire on July 30th.
The food bank is there to support those who need help getting food or food insecurity. Since March 1st, almost 40,000 people have called into CAPK's resource and referral line seeking food assistance.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the food bank has gone from delivering 1.6 million pounds of food per month to 2.5 million pounds.
While unemployment benefits are set to expire, the food bank says they are prepared for more families to need their assistance.
“I think we are ready for it, but I mean as of right now, with the situation that we are in I think we are more than prepared for that if there are more that are coming to our distribution sites,” Jaime Orona, Program Manager for the CAPK Food Bank, said.
The food bank is going to be utilizing another warehouse that has extra supplies to send out more food to their distribution centers, in preparation of more people needing support.
Though, the food bank itself has had a hard time getting help.
“We had a good 15 to 20 volunteers but ever since Covid started, we have a good 3 to 4 volunteers that are helping us out,” Orona said.
The food bank is determined to make sure no families go hungry and that they have supplies ready for those in need.
For those who want to find out more, they can call the CAPK's 2-1-1 resource and referral line. The food bank is also taking donations and accepting volunteers who are willing to help out.
