Organizations around the city are continuing to look after the community’s most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Olive Tree is limiting staff and volunteer hours and ensuring their facilities are clean. The community meal program has changed from a sit down meal to take home meals. Executive Director Becky Schille says it is a part of their precautions to protect against the spread of the virus. She says they are in need of take-out containers and grocery bags due to the change.
Schille says they have enough food to fill their hampers for some time but if the pandemic continues they will be in need of donations. The hampers are delivered to senior care facilities across the city and to the city’s vulnerable population. She says Food Banks Alberta has closed access to their warehouses during this time and won’t be able to rely on them for an unknown period.
“If people need support they can definitely call us or if they have any questions please reach out to us.”
The Lloydminster Social Action Coalition Society drop-in centre is following their regularly scheduled hours of Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Manager Riley Gilroyed says they are ensuring a warm and sanitary environment for the city’s homeless and struggling.
Gilroyed says donations have slowed down and are looking for oatmeal, bread, eggs, ground meat donations. He says they are always in need of canned goods and non-perishable items.
Centre staff and volunteers are informing visitors of the self-diagnosis tool provided by the government and encouraging them to be proactive in getting tested if they are exhibiting signs of sickness by calling 8-1-1.
“There are precautions in place such as calling the health authority and if needed we can call on their behalf because we want to make sure that this public issue does not affect the public.”
Both say services are subject to change as the government implements new recommendations during the pandemic.