At any other time, the Marion Polk Food Share (MPFS) could use any one of three things: financial donations, volunteers or food.
In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization is narrowing its focus to financial donations.
“Normally, we would love to have people organizing food drives or bringing us barrels from their business, because of contamination concerns and social distancing measures we just can’t encourage it,” said Rick Gaupo, executive director of MPFS.
MPFS has suspended volunteer activity since the start of the crisis and is waiting for further direction from state officials before bringing the helping hands back. Even employees are working on skeleton crews to handle donations coming in and food going out to community food banks.
If someone has a semi-load of food looking for a home (See related story Keizer church on Page A1), Gaupo is more than willing to find a way to add it to the food share’s reserves, but financial donations will go further for the moment and no one has to worry about COVID-19 over the wires.
“If people have food they can hold onto and donate it later, we will be happy to take it, but the logistics right now make it difficult,” Gaupo said.
To contribute to the Marion Polk Food Share, visit tinyurl.com/mpfsgiving, or call 503-581-3855.