COVID-19 Resources & Helpful Information

COVID-19 Helpful Resources:
COVID-19 Food Distribution Site Cleaning Guidance
Food Dating Guide
Food Safety Steps
Oswego County Opportunities - Health Insurance Information
Steps To Deter Coronavirus
Steps To Deter Coronavirus (Spanish)

In coordination with Feeding America and Feeding New York State, we are actively monitoring developments related to COVID-19 (coronavirus). We are taking proactive measures to protect the health and well-being of our staff, volunteers, and clients as we continue to serve our community.

Concerns regarding the local threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and preparations for any actual local cases of transmission are being addressed by multiple local health agencies, hospitals, emergency management personnel, elected officials, and community leaders in Central New York.

While the threat is low, listed below are some proactive measures the Food Bank is taking:

In addition to our year-round daily cleaning measures, hourly sanitizing of common surface areas including door hardware, tables, seats, etc.
Communicating online and to our partner agencies about the precautions to avoid spreading COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Continuing to monitor developments with Feeding America, Feeding New York State, and other state and local partners.
Communicating to volunteers and staff to stay home if sick.
Reviewing disaster and pandemic plans.

Volunteers:

Volunteers are still needed and it is safe to volunteer with the Food Bank. In fact, we may need your help more now than ever in the event that we have to respond with packing additional boxes of food. As per our year-round policy, if you are not feeling well, please wait until you are better to volunteer with us. Visit our volunteer page for more information here.

Partner Agencies:

We are recommending that partner agencies implement sanitation procedures similar to ours. Please click here for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specific recommendations.

It is incredibly important to continue emergency food service distribution during this time. Clinics are currently asking infected patients to self-quarantine for 14 days, which is a near impossibility for food-insecure individuals and families. Emergency food resources must be made available to these families in order for the self-quarantine to be a realistic expectation.

We are asking partners to inform us beforehand if they intend on adjusting or cancelling their food distribution times/dates. This will give us a chance to communicate and help them implement potential changes to their pantry distributions that allow for less opportunity for infection to spread. There is not a “one size fits all” solution to every partner or distribution. There are, however, certain strategies to execute that could continue to meet the needs of our neighbors struggling with hunger.

Clients Needing Food Assistance:

If you need food assistance, call the Food Bank at (315) 437-1899.

For social distancing, we are asking clients to have only one (1) representative from each household receive food from a partner agency to decrease the number of people and interactions. If possible, other family members should wait in their cars or outside away from others.

For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 (coronavirus), please visit CDC.gov or your local health department website.

General Tips:

Human coronaviruses are most commonly spread through respiratory droplets. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People at higher risk for serious complications are those with underlying health conditions and people over the age of 65. Residents are reminded to take the same measures that are recommended annually to prevent the spread of the flu and other respiratory viruses. These include:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

The CDC recommends that people wear a facemask to protect themselves. If you are experiencing fever, cough or difficulty breathing, have been exposed to a sick traveler from China, or have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the last 14 days, contact your healthcare provider.

We will continue to keep our community updated through this website, the media, and social media channels should any developments or changes occur in our operations or those of our partners.