Running a Food Bank During COVID-19
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The Golden Harvest Food Bank distributes food to 175 communities in 25 counties throughout the CSRA through local pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other community facilities. The onset of COVID-19 forced people to change their daily activities abruptly including, but not limited to, employment and access to food. The food bank was impacted not only with the typical distribution channels being closed, but the increased need for their services. The volunteer base that is typically utilized allows for Golden Harvest to access people across the CSRA to run the pantries and provide clients with food was halted, thus impacting individuals, families, and communities. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore changes that the Golden Harvest organization had to make due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through 12 interviews with Golden Harvest employees, this study gained insight to how operations were altered during the pandemic, identified the strategies applied for making sure the mission is continued and, finally, how challenges that were encountered, were conquered. This study provides insight to how the Golden Harvest Food Bank, with such essential work, can adapt and adjust to ensure that people’s basic needs are being met.