Task force looking out for people at risk, service gaps

A City of Ottawa “human needs task force” is keeping an eye on issues related to food security and helping vulnerable residents during this period of protecting people from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The city said Friday that the task force will include municipal staff from multiple departments, including Ottawa Public Health, and the United Way East Ontario, Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres of Ottawa, Ottawa Community Housing, Ottawa Food Bank, The Good Companions, Canadian Red Cross, Salvation Army and Ottawa Inner City Health.

The task force will point out service gaps and other issues during the pandemic response.

The city’s 81 funded community agencies are being contracted for service delivery requests and other needs.

The top issues so far are access to food, outreach to isolated seniors, transportation for vulnerable residents to coronavirus assessment centres and medical appointments and managing the groups’ volunteers.

The Ottawa Food Bank has told the city that as of Friday morning 23 of the 26 food banks across the city were operational. A lack of volunteers will likely close other food banks, according to the city, which is working to use municipal facilities for food hamper pickups, establish other mobile locations and increase the number of volunteers.

Since The Good Companions centre isn’t open or using volunteers during the pandemic response, the city is trying to help isolated seniors through check-in and transportation services.

No one will be evicted from social housing during the coronavirus outbreak, the city said.

The Routhier Community Centre has been converted to a temporary isolation centre for people living in shelters who need to self-isolate because of exposure to the coronavirus.

More information about how the city is helping vulnerable residents during the pandemic is on the city’s website. jwilling@postmedia.com twitter.com/JonathanWilling