Harvest Texarkana remains in need of donations

TEXARKANA - Harvest Texarkana Regional Food Bank remains in need of donations due to COVID-19 and recent weather emergencies.

"We will be doing emergency distribution in some of our outlying counties this week because of power outages from storms," said Camille Wrinkle, executive director of Harvest Texarkana Regional Food Bank.

Sunday night storms left power outages in many areas including one in Columbia County where power was out for several hours.

"We will be taking food to people in need whose food may have gone bad," Wrinkle said. "So we will have that impact on top of COVID-19."

Through a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, residential and senior/child care organizations, Harvest assists over 60,000 food insecure individuals each year. Harvest serves agencies in Bowie County, Texas and nine southwestern Arkansas counties including Miller.

"We have been getting more requests recently from people who are home bound," Wrinkle said.

Others have self-quarantined because they have been exposed to the virus or have traveled from another state.

'Some of them are low income also and they can't get out now and access a food pantry. But they still need to eat," she said.

Harvest is following protocol to keep anyone involved in delivering food from being exposed. Extra precaution is also being taken with food to make sure it is safe.

Harvest is also working with local organizations to make sure people are getting enough food.

"We've been working with groups like local fire departments and some churches to get help to the senior adults who need it," said Wrinkle.

The Miller County Office of Emergency Management and Miller County Volunteer Fire Department recently teamed with Harvest to deliver food to rural Miller County residents in need.

"They know the people in their communities who may need help," Wrinkle said.

To donate, call 870-774-1398.

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