Food Bank volunteers weather chill to distribute food to needy

Glenn Rolfe
Posted 1/29/21

Fittingly dressed for the cold weather, volunteers Debbie Sosnoski and Bob Reilly stand ready to wait on the next patron in Friday's Food Bank of Delaware distribution in Georgetown. (Delaware State …

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Food Bank volunteers weather chill to distribute food to needy

Posted
Fittingly dressed for the cold weather, volunteers Debbie Sosnoski and Bob Reilly stand ready to wait on the next patron in Friday's Food Bank of Delaware distribution in Georgetown. (Delaware State News/Glenn Rolfe)

GEORGETOWN — Brrrrrrrrr!

Early and regularly scheduled arrivals Friday morning at Crossroad Community Church west of Georgetown received a several-day supply of nutrition during the last of three Food Bank of Delaware mass distribution events this week.

Winter apparel — parkas, hats, gloves and, of course, face coverings — were the norm for scores of volunteers who braved wind chills dipping into the teens, as they loaded trunks of vehicles in line in the church’s parking lot.

“It’s just me. I’m just volunteering,” said Lewes resident Mike Grillo. “I’d rather have warmer weather!”

Likewise, Ron Whitesall of Rehoboth Beach was a solo volunteer.

“I’m on my own. I enjoy doing this. This is my sixth time with doing the mobile thing,” Mr. Whitesall said.

Bob Reilly of Bridgeville said he volunteers regularly, as well. “I volunteer for the Delaware Food Bank twice a week. I have been very fortunate, (so) I just want to give back,” he said.

Responding to overwhelming community response in Dover on Monday — during which the Food Bank’s projected 1,000-household supply was exhausted early — the charity beefed up its stock for distributions in New Castle and Sussex counties later in the week.

Friday’s distribution in Georgetown featured extra food to meet the need for approximately 1,500 families, 500 more than allocated at the one staged at Dover International Speedway on Monday.

“We made some changes after Monday, obviously. We increased our supply of food that we were able to bring,” said Food Bank of Delaware Communications Director Chad Robinson. “The need obviously continues to be great in our community. Today, we had a number of people arrive early. To make sure that we could get moving, we got started early.”

The plan, Mr. Robinson said, was to serve up to 1,500 households.

Proof of Delaware residency was required, and there was preregistration.

The Delaware Department of Transportation and Delaware State Police assisted in logistics, including traffic control and line staging.

Beth VanSciver and her daughter, Mackenzie, an Auburn University junior majoring in pre-med, helped load frozen chicken in vehicles. This wasn’t their first time participating in a distribution. Mother and daughter began back in April.

“It was a little warmer, then,” said Beth, chuckling. “Mackenzie and I just came and volunteered. She saw that they were having one here and asked if we could come.”

Armed with frozen chicken, volunteer Mackenzie VanSciver prepares to serve a patron in the drive-thru food distribution staged in Sussex County on Friday. (Delaware State News/Glenn Rolfe)

The volunteer corps also included Debbie and Michael Sosnoski, a husband/wife tandem from Millville.

“My husband and I, we have been here since October,” said Ms. Sosnoski. “We come every month. We are both retired, and we wanted to do something for the community. And since COVID hit, this is one of the things we can do safely.”

Mr. Robinson said he was thrilled with the volunteerism at the event.

“Lots of wonderful volunteers out here have given their time to come and help us, even despite the cold weather this morning,” he said. “Our friends from DelDOT are, of course, here. They have been with us every step of the way since last March, at all these distributions, so that we can keep traffic moving and keep things safe. And Delaware State Police are out here making sure that we’re keeping things moving.”

Previous Food Bank distributions have been conducted at the spacious grounds of Crossroad Community Church, off Seashore Highway.

“Crossroads has been a great partner letting us use their parking lot. It’s a pretty lot. It’s a great spot in the middle of the county,” Mr. Robinson said.

Friday’s distribution menu included chicken, a meal box supply containing a variety of goods, plus protein items and eggs.

Food Bank of Delaware will continue efforts to help meet increased needs during the coronavirus pandemic.

“In a normal year, we know food insecurity exists in Delaware, and thousands of our friends and neighbors struggle with a need for food every day. The pandemic has certainly increased that multiple-fold,” Mr. Robinson said. “We know that folks have become unemployed and underemployed, and they need a little bit of help. We don’t want anybody to have to make a decision between the rent or paying mortgage (and) buying medicine or buying food, so we want to be here today to support all of those that we can.”

To learn more about upcoming food-distribution events, visit fbd.org.

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