Prodisee Pantry working toward ‘new normal’

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SPANISH FORT, Alabama — Prodisee Pantry is slowly working toward a ‘new normal,’ says Executive Director Deann Servos, continuing its Mass Emergency Food Distributions while transitioning back to normal hours.

“Due to the summer heat and distribution in our parking lot, we are making the move back to normal operating hours of 9 to 11:30 a.m.,” Servos said.

Starting officially on June 9, mass distributions will continue through July with last sign in at Spanish Fort High School at 11 a.m., Servos said.

“Starting in July, we will continue to assess the COVID-19 pandemic and are planning to resume some inside client family activity and open up to a larger, but still limited volunteer crew,” she said. “We love our volunteers and they are all eager and willing to help out during this time, but our first priority remains the safety of our volunteers and our clients. We understand that any of our volunteers who do not feel safe need to stay home and take care of themselves first.”

Social distancing will continue to be maintained, Servos said, and all client families and volunteers are asked to wear a face mask when out and about in the community to help stop the spread of COVID-19 to high risk populations.

As of June 2, Prodisee has held 11 Mass Emergency Food Distributions, distributing 9,324 food units, more than 430 tons of food, complete with fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy meats, bread and lots of other staple groceries.

Each family food unit provided during Prodisee Pantry’s drive-thru distributions consists of approximately 92 pounds of food.

Just during the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been 6,720 Baldwin County family visits in which 240 tons was distributed by volunteers.

Prodisee Pantry also recently announced a partnership with the Area Agency on Aging, which is part of the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission; Bordon Dairy and Gulf Coast Produce Distributors to get fresh produce, meats and dairy into the homes of Baldwin County families impacted by COVID-19. These partnerships developed under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmer to Families Food Box program, Servos said.

“Each week, these three partners deliver pallets of fresh produce, meats, cheese, dairy, and milk to Prodisee Pantry for distribution into the community,” she said. “This is significant as literally, 30 pallets of fresh healthy foods are free to Prodisee Prodisee for the community ministry to distribute to families impacted by COVID-19.”

The Farmer to Families program includes a 25-pound box of fresh produce, a 25-pound box of meat, cheese, milk and vegetables, and gallons of milk.

“What a blessing this is to the families who receive them as well as a reduction in the financial burden on Prodisee Pantry for these large-scale distributions,” Servos said.

For more information on Farmers to Families: visit ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box.

“Prodisee Pantry has always run on the energy of volunteers, the power of prayer and the community’s support,” Servos said. “The most efficient way you can help us provide food to your neighbors in need is by giving online at prodiseepantry.org. This will allow us to restock and continue our food distributions.

“Our community is resilient. We will get through this difficult time together, because at Prodisee Pantry, it’s about hunger, it’s about faith, it’s about community.”

For more information contact Prodisee Pantry at 251-626-1720.