With the coronavirus affecting many in our community, we want to do all that we can to help those in need. This includes our local charities and non-profits.
We are sharing below a
post from one of our partners in the community,
Common Ground Network about how we can come together and support those in need here in Mansfield.
Response and Update from Common Ground and the MISD
While we all continue to pray for the safety and health of our community, many are asking how we can help fill in the gaps. We have been working with Rita Denton & Elizabeth Carmody with
Mansfield Independent School District in developing a plan to respond both with food and volunteers. We have also had folks on conference calls with county and state leaders. We have talked with
Meals On Wheels and the leader of the Mansfield Senior program. This is uncharted waters for all of us and so we are making plans that may change so please bear with us as we stay flexible with these changes.
To keep up with the latest news and updates related to Common Ground and our partnership with the MISD in responding to the needs of our community during this time of responding to the coronavirus, sign up for our email list
here.
The plan for now…
Food (Updated 3/17/2020)
We are working with
Harvesting in Mansfield to put together supplement bags to go out primarily through the schools that are identified by MISD.
We need more entrées type items donated. As always these need to be single serving and no stove/ovens needed to prepare food. Microwaveable is fine. Drop off location still to be determined. We will know this by Monday morning if not before.
UPDATE: Food Donations and Drop Off LocationWe are coordinating supplemental food bags to be given out to children and families in addition to what the MISD Student Nutrition services are providing so that they have food to take home. But we are short on quality food items to send them home with. We are going to our normal sources to try and purchase these items out of our operating budget, but as you can guess, it is hard for most food providers to have the food we need in stock at such quantities.As you are shopping for your families and neighbors, or if you have items in your pantries you could donate, that would help us provide for the 500 (or so) supplemental bags the MISD has asked us for.
We need non-perishable single-serve entree items. Best if they are microwaveable options. These include
- Ramen noodles
- Mac n Cheese
- Tuna (canned)
- Pasta
- Cereal
- Fruit cups
- Breakfast bars
If you have any of these items that you can donate please take them to First Methodist Church Mission Building (the detached building to the right as you pull in), located at 777 N. Walnut Creek Drive, Mansfield, TX 76063. They will have people checking the bins and organizing the food so we can efficiently get it to the most needed places.
Food for seniors
We are waiting on some contacts but hoping this need can be addressed through all the local food pantries. We will share the times and locations by Monday. Some volunteers will help to deliver to doorsteps as needed.
Contact will be by phone only; we will not deliver face to face.
Volunteers
We know there is a need for volunteers in small numbers. We are waiting for the times and location of tasks. Right now it seems to be everything from helping direct people as they drive through to get food at the schools to making phone calls.
We have a volunteer bank to sign up on and we will contact you as details continue to be worked out.
MISD Student Nutrition Response
As many of you are also aware, the MISD Student Nutrition department is mobilizing to respond as best they can to provide food for students even with the two-week extension to Spring Break. This graphic shows how they are doing that.
Please feel free to share this information as we all continue to pray and do what we can to love and serve our neighbors well.
Common Ground Network thanks you for your continued support of the families and staff of Mansfield ISD.
