Second Harvest seeks volunteers as National Guard help nears end

LORAIN — Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio is seeking volunteers to help meet the demand for aid as the Ohio National Guard and State Defense Force prepare to end their mission supporting food banks and warehouses across the state July 2. Susan Bartosch, Second Harvest's director of external affairs, said Tuesday the food bank is grateful for the help the Guard has provided over the last 15 months. Help will be needed as the group plans for the months ahead. "These distributions that we're doing, we are still seeing a significant number of families coming through, but we're bringing our volunteer base back," she said. "… We have volunteers that are working with us already, but the numbers are lower. There will be more spots to fill." Volunteer opportunities can be found under the "Take Action" tab at secondharvestfoodbank.org. Bartosch said volunteers can work at distributions or do packing and preparatory work at the food bank's warehouse, 5510 Baumhart Road, Lorain. In a news release Friday, Ohio adjutant general Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr. said the Guard and State Defense Force's transition away from the food distribution mission will allow members to get back to their civilian jobs, school and military training. "They not only significantly increased the productivity of food banks across the state during the pandemic, but also made long-lasting and personal friendships with their food bank partners," Harris Jr. said. Gov. Mike DeWine noted in the release that Guard members helped distribute more than 56 million pounds of food statewide during their mission. Second Harvest continues to hold about a dozen mobile food pantry distributions each month for families in need of help. Members of the Guard have contributed to the cause by assisting with unloading and distributing boxes of food to unprecedented numbers of people during the COVID-19 pandemic. "We want to be where people need us the most, and we're certainly finding that these distributions are very beneficial and very needed," Bartosch said. "The drive-thru method is really successful and it's very safe." Although COVID-19 case numbers are declining and restrictions have eased, there is still an elevated need for food assistance in the community. "Maybe the emergency has calmed down and we're on a better path, but still there are some things that lag," Bartosch said. "That's why we are still seeing numbers that give us pause." Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.