KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Williamsport Bureau of Fire Firefighters Mike Bastian, left, and Justin Dunlap, right, make bag lunches for school age children at the fire department headquarters at 440 Walnut Street on Tuesday. For the next two weeks while school is out, school age kids who stop by the fire department headquarters from 12pm-1pm, the firefighters will provide them with a free bag lunch and some fire safety and prevention information courtesy of the Bureau if Fire and the Williamsport Fireifighters Local 736. They will also schedule home safety visits, smoke alarm installations and firehouse tours for when the social distancing safeguards are lifted. The department noted on their Facebook page, "While our public safety personnel are used to being on the front lines when emergencies occur, we know that this can be an especially difficult time for the general public, especially families and children. As a city, we are taking unprecedented proactive steps in an attempt to keep our community safe and healthy in the coming weeks and months. We are proud of our community and businesses for coming together during difficult times, and weÕre happy to provide some additional support. "

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is “running a full crisis response,” according to Joe Arthur, executive director of the food bank.

Because they are an emergency response organization for food assistance, during the shutdown of the state recommended by the governor, the food bank is considered essential.

Arthur noted that, during this time, the food bank is busy pre-packing boxes and bags of food for distribution.

“Boxes of pre-packed shelf-stable goods, healthy shelf-stable food. That’s really at the heart of our response to our partners,” he said.

He said that the food bank is encouraging its partners to serve, but to alter their procedures.

Amy Hill, director of community engagement and advocacy at the food bank, also noted some of the ways distribution has changed.

She said that some of the red tape has been waived, and people can register by phone to receive food.

“We have even had employees at cars with clipboards,” Hill said, adding that these measures have been put in place to keep people moving and not standing in line.

In some cases, the clients drive through and pop the trunks on their cars so the food can be put in there with no one touching each other, Hill said.

“The majority of our partners seem to be serving, but changing their procedures, such things as going to curbside service. No congregant meals, going to take-out if they serve meals,” Arthur said.

“At the base of all that is they need food in a form they don’t have to do as much volunteer work,” he added.

Volunteers canceling or opting out is a problem as the coronavirus spreads.

The food bank is also limiting the number of volunteers packing a one time and doubling down on sanitary practices, such as wearing gloves and using hand sanitizers.

One thing that Arthur stressed is that the food bank has a substantial stock of food.

“We’re in very good shape. There is an abundance of great food and that is expected to last through the rest of the calendar year,” he said.

“We are strongly putting out there that we do not need food drives,” he said.

He cited safety and time management reasons for discouraging this form of help. Volunteering, if you are healthy, and donating monetarily are the preferred ways to help, he said.

As more and more businesses close and people are out of work, the need will be greater for some to receive help with acquiring food.

The food bank is working with school districts to provide food for backpack programs, as well as making food available to the entire family in some areas through a curbside approach.

“They (students) can get the school lunch, but if the family is in need, we’re offering districts, because they have the manpower, to provide box or bagged food to the families,” Arthur said.

“Not every district will need that, but as this develops, we will offer that,” he added.

For Hill, the food bank is already equipped to handle the crisis.

“The point is we already have experience with disasters,” she said.

“We don’t want people to worry about food when they’re already worrying about health and jobs,” she stated.