St. Mary’s Food Bank continues to operate its mobile food pantry even in the midst of fear over the coronavirus. 

St. Mary’s partnered with Rosewood Court Affordable Housing Community twice a month, Catholic Charities Community Services said. While other mobile food organizations stopped services during the COVID-19 outbreak, this Catholic team views it as an opportunity to help in a different way. 

Stevel Lopez, the Catholic Charities’ Resident Services Specialist at Rosewood Court, said having food available to residents is perhaps more important than ever before.

“Under the circumstances, had we not had the food pantry, a lot of our families would have gone without food for a couple of weeks,” Lopez told Catholic Charities. “We are one of the only agencies that has continued to partner with St. Mary’s for these mobile food pantries since the COVID-19 virus began to spread.”

Lopez explained how the charity has taken extra precautions to help stem the flow of COVID-19. 

“We facilitated social distancing throughout the mobile pantry experience. We set up on the perimeter of the basketball court and marked off 6 feet intervals to help residents keep their distance. We also gave hand sanitizer to everyone as they arrived,” Lopez told Catholic Charities.

The charity ensured that there was no form of physical contact that would endanger residents at Rosewood Court or the volunteers helping with the food handout. The complexes 35 senior units were surveyed and then supplied with food boxes individually to limit volunteers' contact with the more vulnerable population.

St. Mary’s mobile food pantry helps 150-180 individuals on a monthly basis, Lopez said. Neighbors of Rosewood Court have been invited to participate in the mobile food pantry. This aids families in the community who don't have reliable transportation to travel to other food pantries.

In addition to providing bread, beverages and packaged food, St. Mary’s Food Bank also makes fresh produce available to individuals, including salad mixes, oranges and melons.