The most challenging hurdle facing the Hays County Food Bank during the coronavirus pandemic is keeping everyone safe as the need for food rises, said Mallory Best, the communications coordinator at HCFB.

Between mid-March and the beginning of April, around the time city orders started shutting down businesses and causing layoffs, the food bank served an average of nearly 400 new households in addition to the ones it already serves—each household varying in size between two or more people.

According to Best, the amount of new households is "abnormal," and the majority of those are families who have been financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“As of April 16, just in those 16 days, we’ve seen an increase of 212 [households], and the majority of these are due to COVID-19, 785 new individuals,” Best said while noting that the number would be much higher by the end of the month.

Before the pandemic, the food bank saw an average increase of 200 new households per month. That average included families who enrolled in the program with partners of the food bank, including school and church pantries along with other nonprofits serving low-income families in the county.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to dry up incomes in the county, the demand for food rises, and limited resources along with the implementation of safety procedures for clients, staff and volunteers have presented a great challenge for the food bank.

“We absolutely need food donations; in fact, we halted food rescue, which we did six days a week, picking up from H-E-B and local restaurants—not enough food coming through there to risk our volunteers and staff out there,” Best said while emphasizing that safety measure has left the food bank to rely solely on the Central Texas Food Bank—which delivers twice a week—and the community to help fulfill the high demand for food in the county.

As a safety measure, the nonprofit is only offering drive-thru distribution in three locations, three times per week: St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Kyle, Bobcat Stadium parking lot in San Marcos and The Connection Church in Buda. New clients are encouraged to call before going to the distribution locations to minimize contact.

In addition to food donations, Best said the nonprofit needs protective gear, masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies to protect staff, volunteers and clients.

Best said manpower is not one of the things the food bank needs; she said there has been a great number of people signing up to volunteer, but for safety purposes, the nonprofit is limiting volunteers.

“We are an essential organization right now, and especially with the need rising, we’re just trying to keep everybody as safe and healthy as possible, including our staff and volunteers,” Best said.

For more information on how to donate or enroll in the program, click here.