More than four months have elapsed since schools in our local communities closed, tourism and other economic activity stalled, and many of our neighbors found themselves out of a job or working severely reduced hours. While families face many uncertainties as the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, access to food should not be one of them.
When the COVID-19 Hunger Relief Drive was launched in April, the Careyes Foundation's goal was to make donations last for two rounds of grocery deliveries. Thanks to the overwhelming response from the Careyes community, we have now made four deliveries of essential food and supplies. That aid has sustained local families over the past four months.
We have now provided 4,800 grocery packages to 19 communities. It's hard to calculate exactly, but we estimate that we've fed over 7,000 people!
While we will continue to monitor and respond to the need for food assistance, we are now brainstorming innovative ways to address the educational and emotional needs of our local children. Schools are set to remain closed, and this will have major consequences—putting pressure on families and exacerbating the disparity faced by children that cannot easily access online learning.