SAN ANTONIO — The crying need for food in San Antonio has turned into a loud wail over the past two weeks.
San Antonio Food Bank officials said they are now serving twice as many families as normal, and they are afraid the demand will only increase as the economic fallout from the novel coronavirus continues to spread. To cope with the overwhelming crush of the newly needy, the food bank is changing the way it delivers services.
Food bank officials said pop-up distribution sites, like one on the northwest side earlier this week, are being overwhelmed, and creating situations that endanger both the volunteers who come to serve and the members of the public who need help.
"The need is so great," said Eric Cooper, president and CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank. "Where we used to get 200 to 400 families, now they are serving 1,200 to 1,500 families."
A centralized registration system for better planning, Cooper said, is critical.
“We feed about 60,000 people each week. That’s what our normal demand has been. But this week, we’re now at 120,000 people for the week,” Cooper said.
He said that their goal is still to meet every family's needs. If you're in need of food, visit the food bank's website, where you can register to receive food. Then, staff at the food bank will ensure you're scheduled for an upcoming distribution.
However, there are some who have been feeding the hungry all along through partner agencies who believe the new rules will hurt the most vulnerable. Pam Allen, of Eagles Flight Advocacy and Outreach, said the centralized registration system will be a burden on the truly needy who struggle with basics like transportation and child care.
"With the numbers that we've been seeing, in seven days we've served 15,000, and that's just me," Allen said.
Allen said her organization will continue to feed as many as it can, even though it will be more difficult for it to get food. Allen believes the south and west sides of the city will suffer the most because it will be harder for residents to get to the new distribution sites.
"We may not feed as many as before but we're going to continue," Allen said.
Cooper said the new process requires people to visit www.safoodbank.org to register for an upcoming event.
Cooper said the number and location of these new services will be driven by demand.
“That will be determined by the response; we’re trying to drive the response to the need," he said.
That way, he says, as families register online, the food bank will be to see where the parts of town with the neediest residents are, and strategically set up distribution sites there. Then families will be given a specific time slot and site to go to.
“We hope this will better meet the need and allow us to forecast, as food has been running tight for us,” Cooper said.
He said events at these new megasites will be much more efficient in handling new safety protocols associated with COVID-19.
“Once they pre-register and we capture their name and information and we’re ready for them at the megasite, they will just show up. And by putting their identification on their window, that will allow our folks to see that they are on the site, registered and they will be ready to give them food."
Cooper said he knows there will be challenges with the new process, and he is encouraging everyone to be patient.
“We know these are unprecedented times. People are anxious. They’re afraid. They’re worried. They may have gone to the grocery store and seen empty shelves there and are feeling very desperate, looking for help,” Cooper said. “Just be calm. Relax. Know that we’re going to take care of you the best way that we can and that’s why we’re improving this process."
Cooper said avoiding the crush of large, unexpected crowds is a must. In recent weeks, his staff has enlisted help from local police or deputies to manage the heavy foot traffic at individual sites.
In the meantime, they're maximizing logistics to ensure lines move as fast as they can, and wait times are as short as they can be.
“Ultimately, it’s about getting people nourishment,” Cooper said.
A larger variety of fresh, frozen and non-perishable food can be made available if they know what to expect, Cooper said.
Cooper said the mega events will accommodate people who don’t have cars and there will be delivery service for needy senior citizens. If they're unable to get out to the sites, volunteers can help deliver care packages straight to them.
Cooper said the organization has volunteers ready to serve and they will have been trained in following the health and safety guidelines related to fighting the coronavirus.
“It will be important that they come prepared and follow the COVID-19 protocol," he said. "If they’ve traveled or have a fever or been sick recently, that precludes them from being able to participate as a volunteer."
While the group has received a number of large charitable gifts recently, Cooper said it will take much more to keep serving hungry people.
“To be honest, these are unprecedented times. We are worried that we’re not going to be able to collect through donations enough food to meet this need.”
Cooper said while they would like a surge in individual donations to help with the rising tide of need, he believes more is needed.
“We are making an appeal to the federal government and the State of Texas to help us with this crisis," he said. "I worry that if they don’t act soon in helping us get more inventory, we will run out of food."
Because San Antonio has many workers in low-paying jobs and many who have already lost jobs, Cooper said it will be important for many sectors of the community to work together to accomplish their goals.
“This is an unprecedented crisis and it needs an unprecedented response, so together we’ll get through it but the future is uncertain,” Cooper said, adding that he expects challenging days ahead. "I'm going to get emotional. It's been hard. It's been hard to see the unraveling."
“If you're feeling blue and sad, come out and volunteer for us at the Food Bank," Cooper added. "It will make you feel better and we will get through it but it's going to take everybody playing their part."
The San Antonio Food Bank, which serves 16 counties in southwest Texas, is located at 5200 Enrique M. Barrera Parkway.