The COVID-19 pandemic continues to reach its strangling tentacles around every aspect of our lives.
Work, if we're blessed to be employed still, has changed with added protocols for safety. Businesses have been impacted dramatically, especially restaurants. Many are not able to survive.
Churches were closed, schools closed, medical care was limited to video in some cases, and social support activities with friends and families were frowned upon.
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We are social animals yet now are limited to being six feet apart and wrapped up in masks to protect us.
How many times has someone said, "Hi!" and you can't place them without seeing their nose and mouth?
The impact to our community was more people joining the ranks of the unemployed. But the Pine River Area Food Shelf continued to adapt and serve our neighbors. Volunteers continued to donate their time. For a time, we had to serve prepackaged boxes through our side door, but now we are back to allowing personal shopping while maintaining social distancing and limiting contact with products.
We are not limiting the times you can come each month or even asking financial questions. You can decide for yourself if you need our services. Everyone is welcomed.
March is Food Shelf Awareness Month supported by Minnesota Hunger Partners with a partial matching grant. The Pine River Area Food Shelf is unable to hold social gatherings for fundraising this year, so this is our only opportunity to reach out for your support for filling our shelves.
We depend on your generosity this month so we can serve your hungry neighbors throughout the year.
What we cannot purchase through Second Harvest we buy locally so well-balanced meals are available.
Please reach deep this year because the problem of hunger isn't going away. Your generous support is appreciated deeply.
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Send your donations to Pine River Area Food Shelf, P.O. Box 1, Pine River MN 56474.
Kathleen Stephan is a volunteer at the Pine River-Backus Family Center.
