National Guard delivers food for the needy in the county
PROSPECT PARK » More than 15,000 meals ready to eat (MREs) arrived in Delaware County Tuesday to aid food pantries, senior centers, and homeless shelters impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Delaware County Council, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Emergency Services coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deliver the supplies to bolster Delaware County food pantries, senior centers, and homeless shelters.
Shannon Fitzpatrick Thomas, coordinator for the Delaware County Department of Human Services, said the county worked with the state Department of Human services to access the MREs as part of President Trump’s nationwide emergency declaration. They originally ordered enough food for 667 residents to have 14 days worth of meals, but the order was increased. They will have another request submitted in two weeks which she hopes will include requests from a number of county municipalities.
The National Guard delivered the 60 pallets of food to three locations around Delaware County Tuesday.
“It’s a lot of manpower and a lot of miles but it is great serving the community. Our troops get to do what they signed up for, which is serving their state,” said Capt. Broades Sample, who was in charge of the soldiers from Pennsylvania Army National Guard Unit’s 213th regional support group, 228th transit battalion, and the 1067th transportation company who all handled the assignment. The guardsmen picked up the meals from the Farm Show complex in Harrisburg and delivered them to Interboro High School, Drexel Hill Middle School and Chester City Hall.
“There is a sophisticated system that already exists that delivers food to low income families,” said Thomas Morgan, chief of special operations for the Department of Emergency Services who aided with the delivery. “That same system is being used to get this food out.”
Some of the MREs that arrived on Tuesday will be distributed through Family and Community Services in Media, which oversees food pantries in the county. Officials said food supplies are stable with most of the food pantries reporting anywhere from a 20 percent to a 50 percent increase in activity.
As the National Guard troops quickly unloaded the
20 pallets at Interboro High School using a forklift, transit vans were ready to take
200 meals to three local senior centers and support organizations.
“It worked out very well. We’re very pleased,” said Thomas. “It got a little crazy. We had some assets misdirected at Interboro but it worked out.”
“This will be helpful. Many in our community struggle with access to food ,” said Portia Kamara, executive director of Multicultural Community Family Services in Upper Darby, which received two pallets of food. “Having the delivery here today supports access to food in our community, vulnerable citizens, including seniors and families.”
Kamara urged residents to take COVID-19 seriously.
“I have been mindful of the many dangers of COVID-19, as it is such a serious disease for our community,” Karmara said. “It is very prevalent amongst people of color and in the immigrant community, who I represent. We want to ensure everyone takes it seriously. Look for symptoms, looks for signs. If you do have them, call your primary care physician and if you don’t have one, reach out to organizations that are serving you. There is help out there. This is not a disease to hide from. This is not a disease to keep secret. Talk to people who can be of help, reach out, take care of yourself, be safe.”
Thomas said food donations from residents are always welcome. Contact Gayle Oddi at the Department of Human Services at 610-713-2365 . They are also inviting members of the public to take part in the weekly food collaboration meeting, which involves numerous people in the county who help identify food needs. It is held Tuesdays at 4 p.m. Contact Galyle Oddi if interested.