National Guard deployed to help feed Valley, Ohio during virus outbreak

After days of reporters asking if the National Guard will be deployed to assist in the war on the coronavirus, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is calling out troops to help feed those in need in the Valley and the rest of the State.
Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley Executive Director Mike Iberis has announced that a National Guard major told him that 20 members of the guard would report to the food bank on Monday.
The news comes after Governor DeWine signed a proclamation allowing the Ohio National Guard to assist at food banks.
The soldiers will assist food bank staff in collecting, package, and distribute food here in the Valley. Also, they will take part in sanitizing the food bank facilities.
“We are very appreciative of the ongoing support from the Governor and the use of state resources to feed more people in the Valley,” said Iberis.
According to Iberis, the contingent of twenty guard members are just a portion of the 300 guard troops being deployed to a dozen food banks around Ohio.
Iberis is expected to make the official announcement at Thursday morning’s meeting of the Mahoning County Commissioners.
Last year the Second Harvest Food Bank distributed more than 11.5 million pounds of food to hungry individuals and families in Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re already on pace to exceed that amount in 2020, according to Iberis
“Our two most vulnerable populations, children and the elderly, are struggling more than ever with hunger in this time of crisis,” said Iberis. “Hungry children, who normally would have access to school feeding programs at this time, now find themselves without a reliable source for food.”
Also, Iberis says many of our elderly residents are homebound now, as those over the age of 65 are being encouraged to stay in and not expose themselves to crowds. They, too, are struggling to find reliable sources of food, according to Iberis.
Iberis says they still need more food and suggests that community members donate food, volunteer at a food bank, or hold a food drive.
He says every dollar donated to a food bank provides $11 worth of food or six meals.
The Food Bank solicits, stores, and distributes food to hunger-relief organizations in Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties; and provides education and advocacy.
The Food Bank is a storehouse for large quantities of donated food and USDA commodities that are distributed to 160 hunger-relief organizations and programs located throughout our tri-county service area. These member agencies include church pantries, homeless shelters, and soup kitchens, shelters for battered women, and after-school programs.