Many of you may be feeling a desire to help the especially vulnerable populations during this time of uncertainty. We are working with several organizations who are serving those most affected. Please check out the opportunities below and, if you are able and desire, sign up to help.
You can always view the most up-to-date opportunities on our Community Service page.
Message from the Food Bank & Online Volunteer Sign Ups
It’s important for our volunteers to understand that food banks are designated “essential businesses” so this means we will remain open during this shelter in place. We will continue to deliver our mission of serving our community.
From Contra Costa County: “essential businesses” provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals.
In order to serve our community and provide emergency food services, we need healthy people not displaying any symptoms of being sick or living with anyone who is sick, to sign up for volunteer shifts. We are experiencing an unprecedented volunteer shortage in our Fairfield and Concord warehouses. For the safety of our volunteers, we are now limiting food sorting volunteer groups to a maximum of 10 people.
The reality is if we do not collectively provide food to the most vulnerable in our community, they will not be able to feed themselves or their families.
Thank you for continuing to provide these emergency food services during this critical time. We greatly appreciate your every effort.
Meals on Wheels has differing urgent needs based on geographic location. They are inviting people to sign up to volunteer through their website so that people can be mobilized in the community as needed.
White Pony Express is in need of volunteers to help make extra food distribution deliveries to seniors and vulnerable communities.
Message from Monument Crisis Center
Donations are needed for emergency food distribution and can be dropped off at 1990 Market Street, Concord at the following times:
Monday, March 23 9 AM -12 PM
Tuesday, March 24 9 AM - 12 PM
Highest-Need Items: easy canned meals (ravioli, chili, etc), mac & cheese, low sugar cereal, beans, rice, canned fruit, canned chicken or tuna, peanut butter, canned veggies, pasta, tomato sauce, hand sanitizer
Message from the American Red Cross & Local Blood Donation Sign Up
The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this coronavirus outbreak. Healthy individuals are needed to donate now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.
Donating blood is a safe process and people should not hesitate to give or receive blood. Watch this video about safety and need for blood donations. Right now, eligible and healthy donors are strongly urged to make an appointment to give soon.
But please postpone your donation for 28 days following travel to China and its special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Iran, Italy and South Korea, or if you’ve been diagnosed with or have had contact with anyone with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.
Article: “What to Know about Coronavirus and Our Enhanced Blood Donation Safety Protocols”
Message from Loaves & Fishes
Loaves & Fishes Dining Room is serving lunch during the week and is short on fresh fruit and lunch bags (brown paper bags, grocery bags, reusable bags).
Donations can be delivered to their 835 Ferry Street, Martinez location anytime between 9 AM - 2 AM Monday - Friday.
Nextdoor launched the “Help Map” this week as a way to coordinate aid between those in need and those able to offer assistance. Add your household to the map if you are able to help:
1. Make sure the Nextdoor app is updated to the latest version
2. Click “More” in the bottom right corner to find the “Help Map”
3. From there you can either view the map if you need help or add your household to the map and list the kind of assistance you can provide (like daily check-in phone calls, delivering groceries or picking up prescriptions)