San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
How you can help provide aid
Some local nonprofits are struggling to continue to provide goods and services to communities that need it most.
As cases of the coronavirus climb throughout the Bay Area, some local nonprofits are struggling to continue to provide goods and services to communities that need it most.
If you want to help support these nonprofits — whether by donating money or goods or volunteering — here are some organizations that you can help:
American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region
The rise of the new coronavirus in conjunction with the typical cold and influenza season “has already impacted the nation’s ability to maintain its blood supply,” Red Cross officials said. As the number of cases in the United States grows, Red Cross officials said, “The number of people eligible to give blood for patients in need could decrease further.”
Red Cross officials are urging “healthy, eligible individuals who are feeling well” to give blood or platelets to help maintain a sufficient blood supply and to prevent any blood shortages as the new coronavirus spreads.
To donate blood: redcross. org
St. Anthony’s Foundation
St. Anthony’s volunteer program has been temporarily suspended because of coronavirus concerns, but they are still accepting donations to serve 2,400 meals each day, provide people with clean clothing and provide addiction recovery services to people in need.
To make a one-time donation or a monthly donation: stanthonysf.org
Meals On Wheels
Meals on Wheels San Francisco —which delivers about 7,200 meals a day to 3,600 residents, most of whom are over 60 and have difficulty leaving the house — plans to continue home delivery of meals and groceries amid coronavirus concerns, but it has implemented safeguards around “meal production, deliveries and client and staff communications” in the event staffing dwindles or if a quarantine occurs, officials said.
To donate: mowsf.org
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank
The food bank, which relies on volunteers, has seen roughly half of its volunteers cancel shifts for March amid coronavirus concerns.
“We need help! To protect the health of our volunteers we are very mindful about spacing between volunteers, we have increased cleaning and made hand sanitizer available throughout the facility,” food bank officials said.
To volunteer: sfmfoodbank. org/volunteer
To donate: sfmfoodbank. org/donate
Food Runners
Volunteers for the program pick up perishable and prepared food from businesses and deliver it in vehicles directly to neighborhood food programs. The relay program provides enough food for more than 20,000 meals every week in San Francisco, organization officials said.
“Our goal is to continue to route. We plan to be open the whole time, that’s our goal,” said Linda Murley, executive director of Food Runners.
While Murley said finding places for food to go will be a challenge as other nonprofits are shutting down in the region, she said, “We’re open and we are going to be open.”
Food Runners is welcoming more volunteers to relay food.
To volunteer: foodrunners. org
Supply Bank Functioning similar to a food bank, Supply Bank instead distributes other provisions, including baby wipes, diapers, etc. It partners with 450 different agencies throughout the Bay Area and elsewhere in the state and plans to stay open during the coronavirus epidemic.
“Right now, it’s day by day, but we are distributing through our regular programs, and we are prepared to distribute more for disaster relief,” said Benito Delgado-Olson, the executive director of Supply Bank.
To donate: supplybank.org/donate/
To volunteer: supplybank.org/eventand-volunteer-opportunities Alameda County Community Food Bank:
The food bank serves 1 in 5 people in the county — twothirds of whom are children and seniors. With the help of volunteers, the food bank distributes goods at 200 food pantries, hot-meal programs, senior centers and other nonprofit organizations.
The food bank will remain open during the crisis.
To get food: accfb.org/get -food
To donate: donate.accfb.org To volunteer: accfb.org/volunteer
The Red Cross urges “healthy, eligible individuals who are feeling well” to give blood or platelets.