COVID-19 COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE
Where to find food pantries in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana counties
S
econd Harvest Food Bank distributes food to member agencies in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties. To find the pantry nearest to you, visit http://hhcc. bowmansystems.com to see agency listings. You may also call the Help Network at 211 or call the numbers below: n Columbiana County: 330-747-2696 or 330-424-7767; n Mahoning County: 330-747-2696; n Trumbull County: 330-393-1565. Second Harvest Food Bank also operates mobile pantries. The Mobile Pantry Program brings truckloads of food directly to people living in rural areas who would oth-
erwise go hungry. Each county has links to pantry locations and hours. Visit https:// mahoningvalleysecondharvest.org/programsand-services/need-food-assistance for information. Pantries are listed below. Monthly rural pantries n Hanoverton/Columbiana County Fellowship of the Beloved, 13696 Bethesda Road, Hanoverton, Ohio 44423. 10 a.m.noon, the second Thursday of each month. Bring a photo I.D. n Goshen Township/Mahoning County
Bunker Hill United Methodist Church, 15096 W. Middletown Road, Beloit, Ohio 44609. 10 a.m.-noon, the second Friday of
each month. Bring a photo I.D.
n Mecca/Trumbull County. Mecca Community Church, 5920 Phillips-Rice Road, Cortland, Ohio 44410. 10 a.m.noon, the second Tuesday of each month. Bring a photo I.D. About Second Harvest – Second Harvest Food Bank is a member food bank of Feeding America, the nation’s leading
DIGEST
Emergency military caregiver respite fund expands nationwide n Military caregivers strongly encouraged to submit applications in time for holidays. WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Elizabeth Dole Foundation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the nationwide expansion of Respite Relief for Military and Veteran Caregivers, an emergency fund of no-cost, short-term respite care for veteran caregivers struggling under COVID-19. CareLinx, a nationwide professional home care network, helped launch the fund with the donation of $1 million worth of services. Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) also contributed an additional $1 million to increase the number of available care hours, leading to a national expansion. The holiday season is one of the most strenuous times of the year for military caregivers, and this year, most caregivers will go without the help of family and friends due to social distancing. The Foundation highly encourages caregivers to apply for free professional care, especially as caregivers nationwide are now eligible to request assistance from the fund. The fund is expected to cover 75,000 hours of care for more than 3,000 veteran caregivers. Hours will be given on a rolling basis until the funds are depleted.The Respite Relief program offers qualifying veteran caregivers approximately 24-hours of respite care or assistance for their veteran from a qualified in-home care professional in CareLinx’s network. The provided care professionals
can perform tasks such as mobility assistance, transportation, bathing, and other activities of daily living as well as other needs including companionship, grocery shopping, and cooking. Individuals seeking to learn more about the Respite Relief Fund should contact RespiteRelief@ elizabethdolefoundation.org. n Eligibility Requirements – You must be a family caregiver to a wounded, ill, or injured veteran or service member (and submit proof of service). n Requested relief support includes one of the following – companionship, light housekeeping, grocery shopping, toileting, bathing, dressing and grooming. Services do not include types of specialized medical care. AARP and the Bob Woodruff Foundation have also joined as key collaborators for this effort to help spread the word to military and veteran caregivers. For more information, visit hiddenheroes.org/ respite. n Emergency financial relief funds – In addition to Respite Relief for Military and Veteran Caregivers, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation is providing emergency financial relief funds to support military and veteran caregiver families for this holiday season. Hope for the Holidays - Military & Veteran Caregiver Fund, made possible by the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation, will distribute $200,000 via grants to military and veteran caregiver families in need. For more information, visit https://hiddenheroes.org/ hope-for-holidays-giveaway/.
YMCA seeks support for ‘Giving Tuesday’
Youngstown places moratorium on water disconnections Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown has placed a moratorium on all Water Department disconnections, effective Nov. 25, 2020 through Jan. 4, 2021. However, customers are encouraged to make regular payments. The Water Department will continue to monitor accounts during this period. Accounts identified as having engaged in illegal activity will be subject to the Water Department’s policies and procedures to have service restored. • Customer Service in City Hall, 26 Phelps St., will remain open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. • All City Hall employees, visitors and customers must wear a mask and pass security and temperature checks before access is granted. • All public and shared surfaces are cleaned daily. • Customers can call 330-742-8749 or visit www.youngstownohio.gov/ water for service.
domestic hunger-relief charity. Second Harvest solicits, stores, and distributes food to hunger-relief organizations in Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties and provides education and advocacy. Second Harvest is a storehouse for large quantities of donated food and USDA commodities that are distributed to 160 hungerrelief organizations and programs located throughout its tri-county service area. Member agencies include church pantries, homeless shelters and soup kitchens, shelters for battered women and afterschool programs. To make a financial contribution, visit https://mahoningvalleysecondharvest.org/.
Revised health order limits mass gatherings in Ohio
COLUMBUS – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that Ohio Department of Health Interim Director Lance Himes signed a reAn anonymous donor has given vised health order to limit mass gatherings in to the YMCA of Youngstown, and Ohio. The order went into effect on Nov. 17. those in need in the community, “Despite the health order that limited mass and promises to match up to $6,000 on GivingTuesday. GivingTuesday gatherings to 10 people that was signed in is a global movement that inspires April remaining in effect, we have seen rammillions of people to give, colpant spread of the virus as a result of banlaborate and celebrate generosquets, wedding receptions, and social gatherity. This year, GivingTuesday will be observed on Tuesday, Dec. ings following funerals,” said DeWine. “We 1. Recognizing the challenges brought on by COVID-19, the YMCA have seen great tragedy associated with such events. It’s not the ceremonies causing the pivoted its efforts to address new critical needs. This year, the YMCA problem. It’s the party afterward.” of Youngstown will focus on three In order to minimize the spread of COinitiatives. VID-19 through airborne particles passThey include: • YMCA Scholastic Support Pro- ing between people in close contact, wedgram – The program is led by YMCA ding receptions, funeral repasts, and other staff and tutors and assists children events at banquet facilities are subject to with online schoolwork while their the following restrictions: parents are at work. • Swim Whisperers Program n No socializing or activities in open – Teaches swimming to children congregate areas and no dancing. with developmental or physical n Guests must be seated at all times. Tradisabilities. ditional wedding reception events such as • YMCA membership assistance – A YMCA membership is first dance, toasts, tossing the bouquet and available tp all, regardless of the cutting the cake are permitted. ability to pay. Due to donor supn If serving food and beverages, guests port, the Y is able to supplement membership fees for those in need. must be served at their seats. No self-serve Donors wishing to make a contri- buffets and no self-serve bar areas permitted. bution to the YMCA of Youngstown n Masks must be worn at all times unless for GivingTuesday should go actively consuming food or beverages. to YMCAyo.org/givingtuesday. n No more than 10 people should be Donations will be doubled, due to a match, up to $6,000. seated at a table and those individuals must For information about the YMCA be from the same household. of Youngstown or GivingTuesday, The order does not apply to religious obsercontact Marykaye Carlson at 330742-4797 or email mcarlson@ vances; First Amendment protected speech, youngstownymca.org. including petition or referendum circulators, Compiled from national and local and any activity by media; and to governreports. mental meetings which include meetings that are required to be open to the public. METRO MONTHLY DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021 35
