A new and exciting collaboration that launched last year aims to serve individuals in western Medina County through the Foodbank’s new pop-up pantry. Partnering with Feeding Medina County, the Foodbank deploys its mobile food pantry to Lodi the first Thursday of each month for a drive-thru food distribution.
“Medina County is often viewed as an upper income area, but people don’t realize that we are a rural community and that pockets of poverty exist everywhere,” said Executive Director Katy Fuerst. “Hunger tends to be hidden from view when driving through the county, but I wish people knew that poverty and food insecurity affect a lot of hardworking families here.”
In addition to the pop-up program and the emergency food pantry, Feeding Medina County has a variety of programs for residents. It offers two Direct Distributions (DD) per month. DDs are an excellent way to distribute large quantities of fresh, perishable food to communities in need. The cost of all food is underwritten by the Foodbank and is quickly placed in the hands of people who need it the most.
Feeding Medina County is also committed to serving its most vulnerable populations, children and senior citizens. Each week, nearly 1,000 food bags are prepared for children to ensure they have easy to-prepare foods over the weekend. The Staples for Seniors program delivers food boxes to more than 400 seniors each month residing in subsidized housing, many of whom are unable to leave their homes.
As the community rebounds from the pandemic, Katy has met a lot of new individuals seeking help, many for the first time. “People feel ashamed and awkward asking for help — they’re afraid to reach out. But everyone needs help at some point. That’s why Feeding Medina County exists.”
COVID-19 has shed light onto hunger within Medina County and around the country. For individuals who have never thought they’d need to visit a pantry, they’ve realized how quickly their situation can change. Katy reflects on a family living in an affluent neighborhood with two working adults. Because of the pandemic, a family member and their child moved in, expanding the family of five to seven. After a job loss, the family had to rely on one person’s income, driving them to visit the food pantry to make ends meet.
"Our goal is to get more food to those who need it in the county, and our partnership with the Foodbank is helping us do that. Because we’re all working together, we can have an even greater impact on Medina County. Our partnership is how we make the magic happen.”