Thanks to ongoing corporate and community support, Atrium Health’s COVID-19 Feeding Program continues to bring food, over-the-counter medications, and essential supplies to low-income individuals and families across Mecklenburg County. The outreach program, which was established to help ensure residents can safely quarantine at home, has impacted an estimated 125 households, or 440 individuals, since October 2020. With recent contributions, including a $15,000 gift from JE Dunn Construction, Atrium Health has now hired a delivery driver to reach even more households in need.
Funding for this new position comes at a critical time as the program has seen a 40-50% growth in demand over the past month. Program coordinator Catherine O’Grady, MSW, LCSW, shared, “We are grateful to have our new driver Patrick on our team as he helps us reach more community members who have been impacted COVID-19, and he is excited by the work he will be doing to stop the spread of this disease.” With the creation of this position, Atrium Health can respond to more requests in Mecklenburg County, while also planning to slowly expand to nearby counties, including Gaston, Shelby, Cabarrus, Rowan, and Union.
Since its inception, the Atrium Health COVID-19 Feeding Program has been made possible by the generosity of several corporate and community supporters, including prominent support from Fifth Third Bank and Epic. We are thankful to JE Dunn for this most recent gift which is sustaining and growing this vital program.
With additional financial commitments from corporate partners in our community, Atrium Health hopes to expand the COVID-19 Feeding Program, which is currently limited to residents of Mecklenburg County, to families and individuals who reside in surrounding counties in our region. In-kind donations and volunteers are also needed to help maintain and grow this vital community program. For more information, contact Leslie Sykes at Atrium Health Foundation. To make a donation to the Atrium Health Essential Needs Fund, visit this website (please designate your gift to the “COVID-19 Feeding Program” in the comments section).