NEAR Food Shelf Open, Looking for Help
The NEAR Food Shelf in Crystal is open again after a lengthy closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NEAR workers say the food shelf was closed for around three months to keep both clients and volunteers from getting sick.
Carts of food are ready for clients to pick-up. NEAR wants to remind the community they are back up and running.
During that time the food shelf reorganized for greater coronavirus safety. Staff wear masks and sometimes gloves, food packing aisles are now one way, and clients will no longer come inside the building to collect their food.
Larry Hanson, past president of the NEAR Food Shelf, says they’re open, but a lot of people don’t yet know it.
“We had one good day when we had a lot of people coming in and then the next day we had hardly anybody so the message is not out there,” said Hanson.
Hanson also says the food shelf has another problem – a need for volunteers. Many of NEAR’s volunteers can’t come back yet because of COVID-19 risks. So the food shelf is looking for help to take up the slack.
If you have time and want to help out, or you need to sign up to receive food, call the food shelf at 763-533-2836.
For more stories about COVID-19’s impact on our community, click here.
Brandon Bankston, Reporting
