Food bank recruits partners in fight against hunger

Low-income senior adults who have been quarantined because of their age or health issues during the COVID-19 crisis still need nutritious meals.

Harvest Texarkana Regional Food Bank is trying to meet the needs of the entire community and has been relying on some other local agencies to make sure seniors are cared for.

“We’ve been working with groups like local fire departments and some churches to get help to the senior adults who need it,” said Camille Wrinkle, executive director of Harvest Texarkana Regional Food Bank.

Through a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, residential and senior/child care organizations, Harvest assists over 60,000 food insecure individuals each year. Harvest serves agencies in Bowie County, Texas, and nine southwestern Arkansas counties, including Miller.

“We have been getting more requests recently from people who are homebound,” Wrinkle said.

A couple of people who have needed assistance have tested positive for COVID-10, Wrinkle said. Others have self-quarantined because they have been exposed to the virus or have traveled from another state.

‘Some of them are low income also and they can’t get out now and access a food pantry. But they still need to eat,” she said.

Harvest is following protocol to keep anyone involved in delivering food from being exposed. Extra precaution is also being taken with food to make sure it is safe.

The Miller County Office of Emergency Management and Miller County Volunteer Fire Department recently teamed with

Harvest to deliver food to rural Miller County residents in need.

“They have been doing a wonderful job. They know the situation, they know who in their community might be in need,” Wrinkle said.

Some information is needed from residents who receive food because all food banks have to report information. But a lot of red tape has also been lifted during this time, Wrinkle said.

“We are all in this together and we are trusting people to be honest and only take what they need,” she said. Donations are always appreciated. Food that was expected to last for months at Harvest Regional Food Bank is quickly being used as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Right now, we can use volunteers, donations of food and monetary donations. For every dollar we receive, we can turn that into five and a half meals,” Wrinkle said.

Masks have been donated to Harvest but more are always needed to keep everyone safe.

For more information, visit harvestregionalfoodbank.org online or call 870-774-1398.

Staff photo by Lori Dunn Tammy Waters, an employee at Domtar's Ashdown plant, volunteers recently at Harvest Texarkana Regional Food Bank. Volunteers from Domtar were loading boxes with food that will help seniors and others in need in the community.

Staff photo by Lori Dunn ■ Domtar employees Charles Allen and Joey Wallace load boxes of food for Harvest Texarkana Regional Food Bank.