LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — Volunteers at the Haven Cupboard are asking for donations. The cupboard provides food for Lock Haven University students facing food insecurity.
Amy Downes is in charge of the program and says the cupboard will remain open for students during the coronavirus outbreak.
"We're just continuing to try and do our best to serve our student population. We love them, we miss them, and if helping them to be able to get a meal is a way we can do that, then we are happy to do it that way," said Downes.
"Food insecurity is a big deal, especially now since we're in a pandemic it's very important to have resources for students so they can still be successful academically," says student volunteer Mia Swales.
The Haven Cupboard provides a week's worth of food to students every Wednesday.
"What we are doing in the midst of the outbreak is we are actually pre-bagging items, so when the students come, only one person is handing them their bag and all the students who volunteer at the cupboard will be wearing gloves."
Volunteers at the Lock Haven University Cupboard say since the coronavirus outbreak began, they have seen an increase in students every week.
"We have definitely seen an increase, especially the last two weeks of new students coming to the Haven Cupboard that we had not seen previously, and I think that is an indicator of students being stressed about courses being online but also about paying rent and how they will afford groceries."
The program is accepting non-perishable food items. Items can be dropped off every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Beth Yehuda Synagogue in Lock Haven.