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APRIL 15, 2020
Local food bank faces dilemma Organization in lower Queen Anne has both shortage and surplus of food items
VOL. 101, NO. 16
FEATURED STORIES
DR. UNIVERSE
PAGE 3
By Jessica Keller
QA&Mag News editor
Food banks organizers across the country have reported food shortages and fewer volunteers in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in America, but the Queen Anne Food Bank at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish is facing different challenges. Food bank directors Stephen Kreins and Father Rich Luberti are serving more people seeking lunches every morning or picking up bags of food from the food bank Thursday afternoons. That is the only constant at the food bank, however. Everything else changes from day to day, from the number of volunteers to the amount of food available, Kreins said. Monday morning, Kreins was surprised to see two members of the Washington National Guard making up sandwiches to put in the graband-go lunch bags that would be picked up later in the morning. They were welcomed alongside the two other volunteers, although Kreins said
HAILEY MAGEE
PAGE 4
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Photo by Jessica Keller Washington National Guard 1st Lt. Qixuan Huang, left, and Private 1st Class Juwon Lee prepare sandwiches for the to-go lunches prepared for anyone in need Monday morning at the Queen Anne Food Bank at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Lower Queen Anne.
he didn’t know they would be there. “It’s kind of feast or famine with the volunteers,” Kreins said. “The food is the same way.” When Gov. Jay Inslee issued his proclamation limiting the restaurants and shops serving food to curb-side delivery and takeout in response to
the threat of COVID-19 cases overwhelming the city, the food bank found itself with a surplus of food donations, mostly produce or other products with a short shelf life, from restaurants that were closing for the duration or had extra food they did not need. This came in addition to the regular food shipments the
food bank already receives. “Two weeks ago, we were just overwhelmed,” he said. While the donations from restaurants are tapering off, Kreins said the food bank still has extra food it cannot use, usually produce or pre-made meals, so he has been loading QAFB, Page 8
State officials place new emphasis on remote learning By Jessica Keller
QA&Mag News editor
When Gov. Jay Inslee announced in March schools would close until the end of April, remote learning was only encouraged if school districts could guarantee equity of services for students. After Inslee announced in-school instruction would not resume for the remainder of the school year last week, online education is more of a certainty moving forward. Inslee and Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal are pushing for school districts and educators to find the best ways to teach students through distance and remote learning. That includes
districts determining which students do not have access to technology in their homes or online connectivity so they can begin overcoming those barriers. Inslee said remote learning will never replace in-person education, “but this unprecedented health emergency demands that we take this step, both for the sake of our children and for our community.” Inslee also said state officials are working with telecommunication companies to get as many students internet access as possible, as well as devices, so school districts can implement online education plans for students. Echoing Inslee’s statements, Reykdal said Washington residents need to make online connectivity for all families a pri-
ority. He said it is essential students get access to technology and internet connectivity because, while this pandemic may happen only once in 100 years, there will be future emergencies. “From the seeds of crisis come the strong, strong roots and blossom of innovation, and that’s the moment we find ourselves in today,” Reykdal said. He also did not guarantee school would start back up this fall. He said just one case of COVID-19 would lead to school closures and further disruption. “A rush back to school puts significant risk in learning continuity that, at this time, would not be better than the model that we are developing and advancing at a distance,” he said.
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