Soup Kitchen feeds SWFL amid COVID-19 pandemic

Coronavirus fears are not stopping Community Cooperative Soup Kitchen from helping those in need.

CORONAVIRUS FEARS ARE NOTSTOPPING COMMUNITY COOPERATIVESOUP KITCHEN FROM HELPING THOSEIN NEED...THEY SERVE SOME OF LEECOUNTY’S MORE VULNERABLEPOPULATIONS.FOX 4 SANDRA RODRIGUEZ VISITEDTHE NON-PROFIT TO FIND OUT WHATMEASURES IT’S TAKING TO HELPFEED PEOPLE DURING THISPANDEMIC.(0:07 - 0:12)(1:38 - 1:44)COMMUNITY COOPERATIVE SOUPKITCHEN IS FORT MYERS IS KEEPINGTHEIR DOORS OPEN TO HELP THOSEIN NEED29:34SOT(TRACEY GALLOWAY, CEO, COMMUNITYCOOPERATIVE):"We’ve stayed true to our hoursthat we’ve always done and allof our programs are stilloperating."ONE THOSE PROGRAMS IS MEALS ONWHEELSIT’S BEEN AROUND FOPR YEARS ANDIT SERVES HOT MEALS TO ROUGHLY350-SENIOR CITIZENS1:01:39SOT(TRACEY GALLOWAY, CEO, COMMUNITYCOOPERATIVE):"We have 32 routes throughoutLee county and we havevolunteers who deliver every daybecause they’re pretty much theonly people those citizens getto see."ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TIMES OFCORONAVIRUS ISOLATION.4:03:49SOT(TRACEY GALLOWAY, CEO, COMMUNITYCOOPERATIVE):"The critical piece of thisprogram is we put eyes on themevery day.

We want to make surethat they’re healthy, thatthey’re safe."THE CENTER’S SOUP KITCHEN ISALSO OPERATING.BUT NO ONE IS EATING INSIDE ALLHOT MEALS ARE TO GOTHE SAME GOES FOR THE CENTER’SCOMMUNITY MARKETSTANDUP(SANDRA RODRIGUEZ,SANDRA.RODRIGUEZ@FOX4NOW.COM):"Normally people would be ableto come into the market andselect their own items but nowas a safety measure, volunteersare pre-packing items and peopleare picking them updrive-through style.

Same aswith their mobile foodpantries."8:37:43SOT(TRACEY GALLOWAY, CEO, COMMUNITYCOOPERATIVE):"Our mobile food pantries arefor families and individuals whojust need an extra little boostto help keep food in theirpantry."THE MOBILE FOOD PANTRY PROVIDESFOOD TO COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUTLEE COUNTY...GALLOWAY SAYS THEY HAVE BEENSEEING NEW FACES...2:25:02SOT(TRACEY GALLOWAY, CEO, COMMUNITYCOOPERATIVE):"I literally just spoke tosomeone this morning who said,"I don’t know what to do, I’venot been through this, I’membarrassed." They were a waiterat a restaurant and had justgotten laid off."ITEMS FROM THE MARKET AND FOODPANTRIES ARE FREE FOR THOSE WHONEED HELP.1:42:34SOT(TRACEY GALLOWAY, CEO, COMMUNITYCOOPERATIVE):"It’s a slow process getting thefood right now because there’ssuch an influx on need from thgrocery stores and everyone elsethat we’re all competing for thesame food pipeline."BUT GALLOWAYS ASSURES THEY DOHAVE ENOUGH...1:55:23SOT(TRACEY GALLOWAY, CEO, COMMUNITYCOOPERATIVE):"We’ve got plenty of food, we’regoing to continue to have food,as you can see behind us thatwe’re still preparing all of ourfood fresh."HEATHER ATKINS IS ONE OF THOSEVOLUNTEERS SHE CAME TO HELPDESPITE CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS...SOT(HEATHER ATKINS, FIRST TIMEVOLUNTEER):"It seemed like they reallyneeded help so my husband and Idecided to go ahead and apply,and I’m glad we did becausethere’s definitely a need here."HELEN FISHER HAS BEEN AVOLUNTEER FOR MANY YEARS.SOT(HELEN FISHER, LONGTIMEVOLUNTEER):"At my age, something is goingto get me anyways so I don’thave any problem coming here oranywhere else."IF YOU NEED HELP OR IF YOU WANTTO VOLUNTEER━ YOU CAN VISITFOX-4-NOW-DOT COME FOR MOREINFORMATIONIN FORT MYERS, SANDRA RODRIGUEZFOX 4 IN YOUR CORNERCOMMUNITY COOPERATIVE ASSURESTHEY ARE TAKING ALL THE PROPERSTEPS TO KEEP VOLUNTEER