COVID-19 PARTNER AGENCY RESOURCES

We are grateful to our Agency Partners who are working hard to address needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. MANNA FoodBank is leveraging every resource to get food into the hands of our Partner Agencies and the communities they serve.

We ask that you remain in constant contact with our team regarding any changes to your operations. MANNA FoodBank is tracking changes to Agency Partner hours and operations to share with the public and other community resources like 211.

Please review the below linked PDF spreadsheet (WNC FOOD PARTNERS) to confirm your hours and distribution are up to date. Reach out to the Agency Relations Team with updates and include the following:

1. Have you changed your distribution dates or hours of distribution?
2. Will you be shifting to a different style of food distribution? (Example: Drive through
or pre-boxed food)
3. Do you need volunteers from the community?

MANNA Zone Coordinator Information:
Amy Sims, Western Zone Outreach Coordinator – 828-399-1147,
asims@mannafoodbank.org
Kaitlyn Smith, Eastern Zone Outreach Coordinator – 434-806-9965,
ksmith@mannafoodbank.org
Leah Cormier, Buncombe County Outreach Coordinator– 828-774-5915,
lcormier@mannafoodbank.org
Chris Rainwater, Agency Relations Coordinator – 828-299-3663 x1272,
crainwater@mannafoodbank.org

*If you are unsure who your Zone Coordinator is, please reach out to Chris Rainwater.

MANNA FOODBANK COVID-19 Safety Policy

Effective July 28, 2021

Partner agencies, staff, and volunteers are required to wear masks indoors at MANNA’s facility regardless of vaccination status.

New evidence from recent outbreak investigations shows that the COVID-19 Delta Variant behaves uniquely differently than previous strains of COVID-19. This new data has resulted in an update in CDC guidelines that all people in most areas of the United States should wear masks while in indoor public spaces. MANNA FoodBank has consistently followed CDC guidelines when developing our safety protocols.

MANNA Partner Agencies

Partner agencies may also require their staff, volunteers, and clients to wear masks and socially distance based on their own policies. And should consider following CDC guidelines on wearing masks indoors while in public spaces. MANNA staff visiting or delivering to partner agencies are required to wear masks while indoors regardless of vaccination status.

Due to the current statewide executive order, agency staff and volunteers at partner agencies may be required to wear masks indoors or outdoors regardless of vaccination status if operating out of or considered any of the following establishments. Please review the current statewide executive order to confirm:

Schools
Child care facilities
Children’s day or overnight camps
Certain health care settings like long-term care centers
Public or private transportation regulated by the state of North Carolina and North Carolina airports, bus and train stations or stops
Prisons and establishments that are providing shelter to people experiencing homelessness
Establishments that are providing shelter to people experiencing homelessness

MANNA FoodBank encourages partner agencies to continue promoting vaccinations as the best way to stay safe to staff, volunteers, and clients. MANNA FoodBank’s COVID-19 Safety Policies are informed by the CDC and Governor’s current executive orders. As stewards of the public trust serving some of our most vulnerable neighbors, these policies will undergo ongoing review based on the best practices presented to protect our WNC community.

MANNA Operations Updates

As of now, all deliveries will remain as scheduled. We are unable to accommodate additional deliveries outside an agency’s standard delivery date and time.

We have shifted shifting all agency shopping from the sales floor to our online ordering system, as of March 23rd, 2020. This means that you will be able to pick up orders placed online that you normally would have shopped for in person. The produce and bread items you normally pick up on the sales floor will be available via the online ordering system.

Online orders will be available for pick up on your usual assigned day and time at our distribution warehouse. This is the building in the same lot, right beside your usual pick up location, at 623 Swannanoa River Road.

When arriving check in with staff just inside the door of the distribution warehouse and then wait in your vehicle for your order to be brought to your vehicle by MANNA staff.

• Do not arrive more than 5 minutes prior to your scheduled pick up time. This will keep the number of vehicles down to a minimum.
• Only bring the people and vehicles that you need to pick-up.
• Please check in at 623 or 627. Once you have told us you are here, please wait in or right outside of your vehicles for us to come out with your order. If it has been 15 minutes since you checked in, please feel free to come in and notify our staff.
• Please do not stand out in the middle of the traffic areas as you wait on your order.
• If you must walk between buildings for any reason, watch all traffic and be very aware of your surroundings.
• Do not stop in the middle of traffic flow areas to load your vehicle, we will ask you to move.
• Do not pull into a dock space until you are told to do so if driving box trucks.

Your bread, produce, and perishables will then be pick up in your usual location. Let MANNA staff know that you have arrived in the waiting room and then return to your vehicle to wait for MANNA staff to bring your order out to your vehicle.

If you need further assistance with our ordering system or with your user name and password please reach out to Chris Rainwater, our Agency Relations Coordinator, with the above contact information and he will be happy to assist you with any issues you may be having.

As always, if you have questions or concerns regarding this change or any other changes please contact us.

MANNA FoodBank & Feeding America Food Distribution Best Practices

1) Sanitation:

Be vigilant about sanitizing surfacing and hand washing.
Ensure that volunteers and staff with symptoms stay home.
Increase the intensity and frequency of your cleaning schedule and use disinfectants on surfaces including door handles, railings, and counters. The use of a bleach solution has been shown to be effective against COVID-19 pathogens.

2) Stay open for food distribution if possible, moving to the following models where you can:

Host “drive-through” mobile pantries where clients drive a vehicle through a distribution line. Consult local law enforcement to ensure proper traffic control is available.
Shift to “to-go meals” for meal sites
Schedule appointments to limit the number of people congregating at a pantry site at one time. This may require cell phone numbers or emails information from clients. The following free tools are not customized for operations – however, they may prove helpful:
- Calendly.com – Free scheduling site
- Remind.com – Free text or email system for teachers. Set up a “classroom” per time slot or per distribution.
Suspend operations from client choice to food box distribution

3) Relax TEFAP and other intake paperwork to limit person-to-person interaction.

4) Protect Volunteers and Staff

The CDC now recommends wearing facemask or cloth facial coverings in addition to social distancing
CDC Guide for Homemade face coverings and how to properly wear face coverings
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
CDC Guide on how to properly remove gloves to prevent contamination