Yancey County COVID-19 Response to Food Needs
Burnsville, NC (03/16/2020) – Yancey County Government, Emergency Management, Schools, and many additional agencies and nonprofits are collaborating to address emerging food needs during the COVID-19 event. Please know that situations are fluid and evolving, and plans will change as needed. The following steps are being put into place as of Monday, March 16, 2020.
Yancey County Schools are developing a system to deliver food to students 18 and younger via school buses, beginning Wednesday, March 18th. The deliveries will include lunch for that day, plus breakfast for the following morning. Parents were polled during device pickup at each school on March 16th as to their interest in receiving delivered meals. A digital survey is also available on the YCS website at www.yanceync.net. Please contact Blue Ridge Elementary School at (828) 682-8150 if you live on the west side of the county, or East Yancey Middle School at (828) 682-2281 if you live on the east side of the county to request food assistance for your student(s). These two schools will also be providing drive-through food pick up service for Yancey County Schools students from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday – Friday.
Feed-a-Child Yancey County is working closely with the schools to deliver non-perishable snacks to assist identified families over the weekend, utilizing the school bus food delivery initiative.
Yancey County Community Center/Senior Center is operating on a normal schedule for congregate meals and Meals on Wheels deliveries as of the writing of this press release. Yancey County residents over the age of 60 are eligible to eat a free, hot meal served between 11:30-12:00 PM at the Center. Please note that circumstances may change without advance notice. In the event that congregate meals are not an option at the Yancey County Community Center, plans are being explored for a possible drive-through where those recipients can pick up meals. Please contact the Yancey County Community Center for details as they develop at (828) 682-1885. Drivers are needed to assist with delivery of Meals on Wheels. Please contact the Center if you can assist with this need.
Toe River Health District will be coordinating response for potential quarantined community members, and will coordinate with appropriate agencies for food resources as needed.
Reconciliation House and other community food access points are continuing to meet needs as those agencies are able. Food boxes are currently available for pick-up from Reconciliation House on Monday, Wednesdays, Fridays between 9:00-11:30 and 1:00 -3:30PM. Please be in touch with Reconciliation House directly to determine eligibility, and what resources they can provide at (828) 682-7251.
Many local restaurants, including Bubba’s Good Eats, Homeplace/Hog Hollow Pizza, and McDonald’s in Burnsville are offering or planning to offer lunch options for children in need. Please call individual establishments to explore their plans and availability, or check their restaurant updates on Facebook.
If you wish to assist in these efforts, Yancey County partners are exploring a donation mechanism for those who wish to contribute financially. Please keep an eye out to Yancey Common Times and WKYK for details as they develop.
Needs and plans are developing daily, and Yancey County partners are committed to coordinating response to address residents’ needs. Reputable sources for update to date COVID-19 information include www.cdc.gov/coronavirus, www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina, and www.ncdps.gov/ncem.
Guidance for food delivery during COVID-19 outbreak
