Second Harvest is there no matter what the crisis

Second Harvest Food Bank’s executive director Natalie Jayroe said this means in addition to serving the needs of the most vulnerable – the elderly and children – waiters, bartenders, musicians and others who were living paycheck to paycheck and no longer have a means to take care of themselves have now joined the ranks of those in need. 
    

“There’s been a 4,200% increase in unemployment the last two weeks,” Jayroe said. “A huge percentage of that was the hospitality industry.”
    

“The food bank generally doles out 3 million pounds of food a month. With this influx of new clients, we probably need 6 million pounds or more due to the current level of need.” 
    

Currently, Second Harvest is down to 182,000 pounds of donated food and awaiting a distribution of USDA food, Jayroe said. 
    

With increased food demand from those in need, food demand also is higher for those now at home due to the virus.  
    

“One of reasons food got so low was when people panic-bought at grocery shelves,” Jayroe said. “(They bought what) the grocery stores usually give us. That’s about a third of what we always distribute, so it really reduced our supply. We couldn’t buy food at that time, either, because the suppliers were out of food because the grocery stores needed it.”

Second Harvest’s response
    

Second Harvest is preparing thousands of meals daily for distribution out of its Harahan site. Jayroe said the food bank first was feeding families of those diagnosed with the virus who were quarantined. She is now working with the city of New Orleans to set up 11 NORD sites where 770 meals are served to children daily through an early version of its successful Summer Feed system. 
    

“We are starting Summer Feed early to help the school system that has been doing a great job trying to get food to these kids,” she said.
    

Another 1,200 daily meals are going to local seniors and to two distribution sites in the 7th Ward and Algiers, where Second Harvest is working with New Orleans Councilwoman Kristin Palmer to reach hospitality and gig workers. 
    

Because the Meals on Wheels program in Calcasieu Parish shut down, 325 more meals are being sent there to feed seniors.
    

Jayroe said Second Harvest has been preparing 2,000 emergency boxes a week, but the food shortages might require reducing this number to 1,000. Emergency boxes contain a mix of proteins, snacks and staples (pasta, peanut butter, etc.) designed to get a family of four through three days.
    

“This shows you what our great need is,” Jayroe said.
    

To meet increased food production, the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ School Food Service loaned a Combi oven that will double the amount of food Second Harvest can produce beginning March 30.
    

“A huge thank you to the Archdiocese of New Orleans,” Jayroe said.

 

“Right now, we need the kind of food that goes into emergency boxes, and we need money to buy the food,” Jayroe said. “The thing we need most is dollars, because if we can find the donated food, it’s the most efficient way to get the most food out to people as quickly as we possibly can. Non-perishable food donations are also a need.” 
 

Thanks to donors
    

Drew Brees, a familiar face at Second Harvest, has also named the nonprofit as a recipient of his recent $5 million, 10,000-meals-a-week donation to the city of New Orleans. Jayroe said Brees recognizes food security as a huge need in our community.
    

“He is focused on child nutrition during this time,” Jayroe said. He’s contributing money to build the emergency food boxes with the hopes to producing and distributing 25,000 emergency boxes for families across Louisiana. 
    

Jayroe has a weekly conference call with Brees.
    

“As we ramp up our kitchen, he wants to know additional ways he can help us,” Jayroe said. “He sees food security as a huge need. I am so thrilled to be part of this effort with him. He’s been a friend of Second Harvest for a long time. It’s very, very exciting.” 
    

Jayroe also wanted to thank all donors and the National Guard, which has been helping Second Harvest with food distribution, plating meals, packing emergency food boxes (to minimize contact with the public) and helping at all food distribution sites.
    

She’s also concerned about and praying for Archbishop Gregory Aymond as he recovers from the coronavirus.
    

“Being part of the archdiocese’s family has made an immense difference in our ability to respond,” Jayroe said.
    

To help Second Harvest, go to: https://no-hunger.org or call (504) 734-1322.
    

Christine Bordelon can be reached at cbordelon@clarionherald.org.