It has been four months since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic and in that time requests for local emergency food assistance continue to trend upwards.
Terry Close, Mission and Ministry Coordinator at Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church, which houses the North Royalton Food Bank, said requests for help have jumped along with the number of people living together and cohabitating under one roof and asking for assistance.
“It may be that adult children are moving back in with their parents or that two families are coming together to live in one household. We’re now serving more and more family units made up of seven or eight people,” Close said. “We’re also seeing an increase for deliveries of food to homes because the residents there aren’t feeling safe about leaving home and are sheltering in place.”
The North Royalton Food Bank has also ramped up its large-scale food distribution days to occur every other month as opposed to only at holidays, as it did before COVID-19 hit, Close said. These large distribution days will continue every other month through the end of the year.
The North Royalton Produce Market, a cooperative effort of the Greater Cleveland Foodbank and partner agency Saint Albert the Great along with the City of North Royalton and Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church, also continues to serve income-eligible adults with fresh produce. The next market will be held July 14 at the York Road Recreation Field Pavilion from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Though geared towards serving older adults in need of food assistance, anyone who meets income guidelines can participate. Occurring the second Tuesday of every month, the North Royalton Produce Market features at least four varieties of seasonal fruits and vegetables and other items like dairy products and meats when available. It is drive-thru style. For more information and to participate, email dbobulsky@saint-albert.org.
“Participation in the Produce Market has grown,” said Denise Bobulsky, service and volunteer coordinator at Saint Albert the Great Church. “In May, it served 92 households and in June we served 137 households, a significant difference.”
Saint Albert also provides a free Community Meal on the last Sunday of every month, with the next meal set for July 26. In April, more than 200 meals were distributed drive-thru style. The church also started a new ministry, The Caring Kitchen, that delivers meals weekly to homebound parishioners and those living in Deaconess Perry Center senior apartments. As part of its Justice and Compassion Ministry work, meals are also delivered regularly to many Cleveland agencies like St. Herman House of Hospitality and St. Augustine Church and Hunger Center.
Residents in need of food assistance can contact the North Royalton Food Bank directly at (440) 237-7958 Ext. 200. Those looking to assist by way of food and/or monetary donations can also call the Food Bank directly at the number mentioned. Both churches are limited in the amount of volunteers they can have on-site due to COVID-19 safety procedures.

By SARA MACHO HILL
Contributing Writer