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Meridian Food Bank

dinners, plus snacks. the Meridian Food Bank website COVID-19 precautions met, Clark people who were high risk was
Meridian Food Bank started the — meridianfoodbank.org — click said. they shouldn’t be put in situations
backpack program 10 years ago; on the donate link, and then “When the getting was good, where they may contract the
currently, Clark thinks it has served indicate their donation preference: we got it,” he added. disease,” Clark said, “But the thing
up to 400 students since school for the food bank or for the However, the volunteer staff is, they left, and they haven’t come
started this year. backpack program. is another matter. Many of the back yet. And I don’t know if they
“It’s been tough this year; the Checks can also be brought into Meridian Food Bank’s volunteers will. We do need volunteers.”
numbers can get very high over the Meridian Food Bank’s location are considered high risk, being in “A lot of them are just afraid,” he
the course of the year,” Clark said. or mailed. Donors can indicate on their late 70s and 80s; to Clark’s added. “And I don’t blame them.”
“We’ve had years where 20,000 their checks if they want the funds knowledge, the oldest volunteer is For those comfortable and in-
backpacks were given out. That’s to go to the food bank or the just over 90. terested in volunteering, Meridian
always a need, to try to keep that backpack program. A lot of the volunteers, like Food Bank has a volunteer coordi-
backpack program going.” “It’ll go where it needs to,” Clark Clark, are also veterans. nator who helps with scheduling.
“We want to make sure we said. “It’s kind of cool because we “I’m happy with where we are
keep that flowing,” he added. “We support them any way [we can],” right now, feeding lots of people,”
don’t have the money to buy all How to volunteer Clark said. “We’re veterans too and Clark said, “We’ve got a lot of
that stuff, so we have so many Since the start of the pandemic we know what they go through supporters now, and they’re just a
wonderful people donate.” to today, the Meridian Food Bank and we’re here to help.” bunch of great people.”
Community members are has had its Personal Protective “When this thing started, one Photos provided by
invited to donate monetarily on Equipment needs and other of the first warnings for those Meridian Food Bank