Changes are coming quickly surrounding the spread of COVID-19, with the advent of school closings and updates to the limits imposed on gatherings. At Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, our mission remains steadfast: to find innovative ways to get food into the hands of those who need it most. That mission is truly testing our creativity and the strength of our partnerships as we work hard to ensure children, families and seniors can access the nutritious meals they need to live healthy, hunger-free lives during this unprecedented time.
Many of our programs addressing food insecurity among children are tied to schools – when school is out, these meals through BackPack Buddies, School Pantries, and even our Urban Agriculture Education Programs are halted. For many children, school is where they get their main source of nutrition each day.
As of Monday, March 16, the Food Shuttle has begun production of nutrient-dense, blast-frozen meals to distribute to children and families who are unable to access free and reduced breakfasts and lunches at closed schools. These meals are being prepared by the culinary program with the assistance of the Culinary Apprenticeship Program students and support from area restaurants including Union Special, A Place at the Table, MOFU Shoppe, Temple’s Table, and Honest Abe’s Kitchen and Bar. Specifically, Chef Katsuji Tanabe, award-winning chef and owner of 6 restaurants across North America including local favorite, High Horse NC, will be on site at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in the afternoon of Tuesday, March 17th to help prepare the blast-frozen meals for the initial distribution.
Frozen meals available at schools
We will prepare at least 3,000 meals between Monday, March 16th and Tuesday, March 17th. After that, our team will assess how to continue with service into next week in light of school closures. These meals will be available for distribution at select Wake County schools during the schools’ open hours on Tuesday, March 17th between noon and 5 p.m.
While these meals are distributed free of charge, the blast-frozen meals cost about $2 each to produce, for a total of around $10,000 for only two weeks of meals. Considering the trajectory of closures, we want to be prepared to be able to provide meals for the next 8 weeks. We are reliant upon our donors to help make this possible. To donate, we have set up a special page for those interested in making a donation, www.foodshuttle.org/donate. We’re also asking our community to consider setting up their own donation page and asking their friends and family to give. To set up your page, click on “Become a Fundraiser” at www.foodshuttle.org/community.
Local chefs invited to prepare meals
Local chefs and their staffs interested in helping prepare these meals in their commercial kitchens can do so. These meals consist of such items as meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, macaroni and cheese, and chicken nuggets. To prepare offsite, restaurants need to commit to a serving size of 500 meals or more and to provide the necessary ingredients. We will provide the recipes, serving quantities, specific guidelines and other logistical information. Those interested should contact Rachel Quigley at rachel@foodshuttle.org.
BackPack Buddies special distribution on Tuesday, March 17
BackPack Buddies, which normally provides a bag of food with 6 meals and 2 snacks for children on the weekends when school is not in session, will be available for a special distribution, in collaboration with our school partners, on Tuesday, March 17. Families in Wake County who rely on this program should pick up their bags at their school (Wake County only) between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. on March 17.
Students and families in Wake County are encouraged to check in at their schools to see if their School Pantries will be open during the hours of noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17.
Volunteers still needed
In addition to the financial support needed and local chef opportunities, we are seeking volunteers this week (March 16-21) to fill in critical volunteer slots. This will allow us to front load food preparation and bag packing in such programs as Grocery Bags for Seniors and BackPack Buddies. To sign up to volunteer or join our on-call list, please visit our website at www.foodshuttle.org/volunteer.
For the other six counties we serve, including Durham, Orange, Nash, Johnston, Chatham, and Edgecombe, we are developing plans for how best to serve the communities in light of school and partner agency closures. We will continue to update our community with needs and information on where families can access meals. We encourage everyone to follow up on our website www.foodshuttle.org and on Facebook www.facebook.com/foodshuttle.