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Challenging times

Monroe. The impact COVID-19 has had on providing food at Thanksgiving and Christmas to families in need.

Christmas /
| 21 Dec 2020 | 11:46
    The Monroe Food Pantry provided holiday boxes at both Thanksgiving and Christmas to more than 75 families. Provided photos.
    The Monroe Food Pantry provided holiday boxes at both Thanksgiving and Christmas to more than 75 families. Provided photos.
    Normally, various scouts from the local Girl Scouts would meet inside the Methodist Church before the distribution and fully pack out 90 percent of the holiday boxes to be distributed. But due to COVID-19, social distancing inside the church building could not be maintained. The solution was to pack two smaller boxes at different times. The first box was packed a couple weeks prior to the giveaway and contained most of the non-perishables.
    Normally, various scouts from the local Girl Scouts would meet inside the Methodist Church before the distribution and fully pack out 90 percent of the holiday boxes to be distributed. But due to COVID-19, social distancing inside the church building could not be maintained. The solution was to pack two smaller boxes at different times. The first box was packed a couple weeks prior to the giveaway and contained most of the non-perishables.
    The second box was fully packed the day of the distribution. Both boxes were packed outside by the Girl Scouts and, in a couple of instances, at temperatures in the single and low double digits.
    The second box was fully packed the day of the distribution. Both boxes were packed outside by the Girl Scouts and, in a couple of instances, at temperatures in the single and low double digits.

All of us have faced significant challenges in 2020. The Monroe Food Pantry has similarly encountered challenges seeing a large increase in the number of clients requesting help. That number has nearly doubled since March when COVID-19 hit.

Even more of a challenge, was providing food at Thanksgiving and Christmas to the many families in need.

Normally, various scouts from the local Girl Scouts would meet inside the Methodist Church the Friday night before the distribution and fully pack out 90 percent of the holiday boxes to be distributed.

But due to COVID-19, social distancing inside the church building could not be maintained.

The solution was to pack two smaller boxes at different times.

The first box was packed a couple weeks prior to the giveaway and contained most of the non-perishables.

The second box was fully packed the day of the distribution.

Both boxes were packed outside by the Girl Scouts and, in a couple of instances, at temperatures in the single and low double digits.

Additionally, the Girl Scouts baked the pies that were put into each box.

In the end, more than 75 families were provided holiday boxes at both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We owe many thanks to the local Girl Scouts who for years have helped fight hunger in the Monroe-Woodbury community.

Words cannot express our gratitude for their dedication and support. Without this support, the Food Pantry certainly could not have met the needs of the community, particularly with all of the COVID-9 challenges.

The Monroe Food Pantry is an all volunteer organization located at 47 Maple Avenue, Monroe. We serve those in need in the Monroe Woodbury community. Donations to help fight local hunger are always greatly appreciated.

The Monroe Food Pantry