The coronavirus pandemic has meant changing how Loaves & Fishes serves meals to the people in our community. Amidst the change, Andrew Scott thinks things at Loaves & Fishes hasn’t changed. “While so many parts of our work have branched off in new ways, and while we are serving many more meals than ever before, we are still here!”
Andrew is our site coordinator at Hope Church in Richfield and Brooklyn United Methodist Church in Brooklyn Center. Reflecting over the last few months, he explains how his work has felt like a juggling act at times: “The new model adds a couple of new balls to the juggle—packing meals, orchestrating the drive-through, and upholding safety throughout – from point A to Z.”
Even through all of the changes, Andrew admits that everybody has come together beautifully to get it all done. Volunteers have stepped up in all kinds of new ways: coming in weekly as a whole family, making a lovely fresh salad, wheeling carts brimming with meals up from the kitchen to the walk-up area, and much more. Even volunteers who can’t help out at this time due to vulnerabilities are still playing a big part, by donating financially or sharing our needs with friends and family.
While the past few weeks have been very busy, Andrew is energized by the fact that no matter the changes, Loaves & Fishes is still there ready to provide food to those in need. “As much as we are reacting to the pandemic in a dynamic disaster-response model, another way of looking at is that Loaves & Fishes have remained an anchor for food security,” he said. “We are still here for you and we always will be!”
