Despite the challenges of COVID, Generous Hands continues to provide food and Family Fare vouchers for 296 students in 144 families each week. When backpacks of food could not be delivered to school, a gazebo was built in 2020 to allow outside pickup of food at Generous Hands’ Spruce St. location.
This also meant families had access to food even when a child was out of school because of illness or quarantine. Not only was food distribution maintained, it was increased.
The preschool children of GH families were included; so were home-schooled children. GH reached out to help hungry families in Climax Scotts schools. More face-to-face interaction also resulted in closer relationships with recipient families and more coordination of services with South County Community Services. Generous Hands services have expanded to include hygiene products, laundry cards for Pathways students and snacks at all school buildings. Pick up of food occurs on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-noon, and 4-6 p.m. on Wednesdays at Generous Hands, 606 Spruce St. “Blessing Boxes” contain food items for pick up at any hour and are located at Generous Hands and Portage Terrace.
What had been delivered just on Fridays in now available Tuesday through Thursday – the name “Friday Packs” no longer fits. Friday Packs have been renamed Power Packs. They’re not just for Fridays anymore.
For more information about Generous Hands, please visit http://www.generoushands.org.