Food Banks Prepare for Swine Flu Outbreak

Greg Navarro
Fox44
Posted: Sep 21, 2009 01:14 PM

At the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf in Burlington, organizers are checking the inventory.

This fall and winter, boxes originally created for natural disasters, will be used during an expected H1N1 outbreak to feed people too sick to pick supplies up at a food shelf.

“Having food that’s stockpiled that’s energizing food is really an important thing,” said director Rob Meehan.

Earlier this month, Vermont Food Bank leaders created a plan to stockpile two week supplies of food for families coping with the illness, boxes filled with high protein, non-perishable items.

The challenge facing food shelves is taking on an added level of preparedness, while struggling with a nearly 50% increase in the number of families who need help.

“Food donations are down so we sort of have a crisis in the food network in getting food,” said Meehan.

But despite that crisis, pantries know they have to find a way to meet the demand and be as prepared as possible to bring food to families in need.