We love our community. We want nothing more than for us all to stay healthy and connected.
That’s why Metro Caring is committed to remaining open and providing nutritious food to families and older adults. The health and safety recommendations and citywide mandates for preventing the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) are changing daily. During this challenging time, we see an opportunity for compassion and resiliency. We can positively impact our community, even during social distancing.
1 in 10 people in our community already struggles to put food on the table and COVID-19 is rapidly increasing the number of families in need of healthy food. If you’ve been to the grocery store recently and witnessed the empty shelves where there used to be toilet paper, butter or chicken, perhaps you can imagine what it means to a family with a stretched budget to rely on Metro Caring for food in the coming weeks.
You may be wondering; how can I help? Now is the time to invest in our community by donating to Metro Caring.
Your financial contribution will allow us to:
acquire additional food and essential household items as we stretch to meet increased need;
purchase adequate cleaning supplies such as gloves, bleach, hand sanitizer, and masks;
set up stanchions and signage for social distancing during food distribution; and
cover stipends and increased personnel expenses to maintain our operations while many of our volunteers choose to stay home and (rightly so) prioritize their self-care.
All families deserve to put nutritious food on the table. We implemented a walk-up and drive-thru food distribution, and now offer delivery service for our 60+ community members. We know that a box of food is not the same as shopping in our Fresh Foods Market and hope to reinstate our choice model when it is safe to do so. Meanwhile we’re exploring other ways to restore a sense of choice for our shoppers.
If you’re unable to contribute financially, we need cleaning supplies such as gloves, bleach, hand sanitizer, and masks. If you are in good health and have not been to COVID-19 affected areas or exposed to someone with COVID-19, you can drop off supplies during our normal business hours (Monday-Friday from 9:30 am-3:00 pm, and Tuesday evening from 6:00 pm-8:30 pm).
Healthy and looking to volunteer? We have asked volunteers with medical conditions that place them in a high-risk category (older adults or people who have a serious chronic medical condition like heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease) to please stay home. Metro Caring needs volunteers who can spend 3-4 shifts per week with us. Our goal is to have fewer volunteers who can work multiple shifts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 resulting from group gatherings. If you’re:
under 60 and don't have a medical condition that places you in a high-risk category, or
over 60 and healthy, with permission from your medical provider,
Please contact Deena Duwaik with any questions.
Thank you for being a part of our community. We will continue to be here for you and are grateful that you are here for us. Stay safe and look out for updates, tips, and connection on our social media!
If you have any questions, concerns or feedback, please reach out to Metro Caring’s Operations Manager, Emma Moore. For the latest information on Metro Caring’s health and safety guidelines related to coronavirus (COVID-19), please return to this page.