First and foremost, we hope that you are all staying healthy and safe during this time, as we are faced with the significant impacts of COVID-19 in ways that affect us as individuals and the community as a whole.
In the immediate weeks following the outbreak of The Coronavirus here in North Texas, we at Minnie's Food Pantry have witnessed first hand the severity of the virus and the detrimental impact it has on our communities, even those individuals who may have not have come in contact with the disease directly. From
hours and wages being decreased
, to
small businesses experiencing less and less clientele
,
school closures
, and stores
running out of basic necessities
and vital food components,
the need for supplemental assistance is more vital now than ever!
As schools are extending spring breaks, events are being cancelled across North Texas, and in an effort to partake in social distancing in hopes of flattening the curve caused by COVID-19, many North Texans will feel the economical effects of this life-threatening disease and in order to ease the blow and further assist those in need,
Minnie's Food Pantry plans on remaining open in times such as this.
WHY YOUR SUPPORT IS SO IMPORTANT!
Volunteer groups are canceling
in support of social distancing and many companies are no longer supporting offsite activities during times such as this to protect the health of their staff.
Donations are dwindling
as stores don’t have a surplus to provide as they did before. Additionally, majority of food drives were hosted by corporations and service groups who are no longer gathering, also in support of social distancing and healthy safety efforts.
The number of clients are naturally on the rise as we always see a surge during times when schools are closed, however with the extended school closures, many people out of work, combined with the fact that many items are not accessible in local stores,
we anticipate a higher number of families served than usual.
Our shelves are going bare.
With no food drives and minimal donations combined with an increase in families served,
the outgoing far exceeds the incoming.
It is the immediate plan of Minnies to remain open to further assist those who are struggling and those who are now looking for a place to receive help after being affected by the unforeseen aftermath of times such as this.
But that can only be so as long as shelves remain full.
HOW YOU CAN HELP!!
Please consider how you can help by donating at
www.minniesfoodpantry.org
or texting the word
MINNIES
to
41444
. Every dollar= 3 meals! Please encourage friends and family to join the fight against hunger as how long we are able to keep our doors open during this time depends on assistance from our communities!!
If you prefer to shop or ship for delivery,
our current list of most needed items include:
- Cereal
- Canned meats
- Spaghetti
- Spaghetti sauce
- Jelly in plastic containers
An
Amazon list
has been created to help make your shopping experience that much easier, and remember when you shop
AmazonSmile
, Minnie's will receive 5% back from your shopping experience.
VOLUNTEERING:
In light of the global health scares, and in order to ensure a healthy volunteer and client experience, Minnie's Food Pantry is taking extra precautions to minimize outbreaks and create a healthy and safe environment for all, as the
health and wellbeing of our clients and volunteers remain our top priority.
Minnie's Food Pantry will be offering hand sanitizer stations throughout the facilities for clients and volunteers. When you arrive at the pantry, please utilize these stations to disinfect and sanitize prior to engaging with others.
We are requesting that, during This Coronavirus outbreak until further notice, all volunteers be
at least 18 years of age.
We also recognize that COVID-19 is especially hazardous to the health of our seniors and retired volunteers and out of concern for their health, ask that
those over 60 years of age plan on rescheduling their shifts
until the CDC and community officials deem it safe to resume business as usual.
Please know that Minnie's Food Pantry is committed to your health and safety and we are paying close attention to any further developments. It is our promise to you to do our part in taking care of our clients and volunteers all while continuing to serve those in need.
Volunteers are crucial in times such as this
. If you are scheduled to volunteer and are feeling under the weather, or if you are no longer able to serve with us during this time at the request of your employer or service organization, please contact us at
volunteer@minniesfoodpantry.org
to reschedule.
If you feel
you are able to donate your time
to assist us in sorting, stocking and food distribution vital to the ongoing programs and services provided to those in need, please reach out immediately to
volunteer@minniesfoodpantry.org
to
get added to the schedule as soon as possible!!
Minnie's Resale Boutiqu
e will be
closed during this week
and will re-open on Wednesday, March 25th for regular hours. If you had plans to shop at Minnie's Resale Boutique, don't worry-our low prices and hidden treasures will still be here when you get back to feeling like your healthy self!
