Fort Wayne food pantries are seeing more people in need during the COVID-19 shutdown.
More of the fort wayne community is seeking the assistance of food pantries during the covid-19 shutdown.
Fox 55's jeremy masukevich tells us why those providing food expect the need to continue to rise.
Nat chris 28:57 i don't think the busyness is yet to come chris richardson is the food services director at the fort wayne rescue mission.he says the number of people in need of food will continue to increase over the next few weeks.'?lower third: chris richardson, rescue mission food services director sot chris 29:30we are seeing that number go up a little bit, i don't know where it's going to stop.richardson says there has been about a 25 percent jump in the number of people coming for meals each dayhe says both the number of donations and support from vendors... like community harvest... have allowed the rescue mission to keep up with the increased need.?lower third: carmen cumberland, community harvest food bank president sot carmen 1:12we have 400 partnering agencies so they are boots on the ground also trying to identify maybe masses of people that were missing.
Avalon church pastor k.
Paul maurer says the assistance from community harvest has allowed the church to provide food to families who havent been receiving help.
?lower third: k.
Paul maurer, avalon church lead pastor sot maurer 34:54we have seen about 150 families each week, especially in the last few weeks the numbers have gone up.
We have seen younger families and we have seen a lot of new families.
Maurer recognizes there are dozens of groups providing food to the community, but it can be difficult to know when and where that help is available.
He says working with other church and community leaders has allowed more mouths to be fed.maurer sot 36:09churches like waynedale baptist, mt calvary lutheran, and waynedale united methodist we are working together on the southside of fort wayne to bring together food.maurer says donations from restaurants that were forced to close their doors have allowed the church's doors to remain open serving food.
Maurer sot 38:07we'd love to help restaurants and or grocery stores be a part of this thing god's doing through this food pantry ministry.in fort wayne, jeremy masukevich, fox 55 news
Rush says IDOC facilities across the state are in need of correctional officers, and that the transition to virtual hiring..
