Sarah F. Geiger has been with Philabundance for nearly nine years. In her role as Director of Agency Relations, she and her team work with 350 member agencies in our community to use your donations to get food into the hands of those in need.
The onset of the COVID-19 crisis triggered an ‘all hands on deck’ response of the Agency Relations staff, and a shift in everyday operations.
“We’ve spent the last three months simply reacting to what the world threw our way,” says Sarah. “Flexing, learning, and helping move as much food, supplies and PPE as possible to address the unprecedented need that was growing at the agencies’ doors.”
Meeting that need, paired with added safety protocols, has been one of the biggest challenges faced by both Philabundance and our partners during this time. Sarah recognized the outstanding work done by member agencies to keep up with increasing demand by quickly changing distribution models while incorporating personal protection equipment (PPE) and social distancing procedures to ensure the safety of staff, volunteers and clients.
But while Philabundance has been purchasing and distributing record volumes of food, it is simply not enough. Every week, more and more people who’ve never before accessed the emergency food system are now seeking assistance. Our regular food output has more than doubled and we need ongoing help to sustain this volume…and more. That’s where you come in.
“This is something my staff and I take seriously,” she says of doing what it takes to meet the need. “We can’t do this without the donors who help us execute our mission and be there for the communities most in need.”