Food banks play a role in disaster response. We have seen that happen during the coronavirus pandemic and during other types of disasters across the board.
The latest
Disaster Zone podcast, “Feeding America,” addresses that organization’s role in support of food banks all across the United States. The podcast description is below:
“Food insecurity is a huge issue in the United States, and it got worst during the coronavirus pandemic. One organization at the center of coordinating and providing food to people who need it is
Feeding America. This podcast is an interview with
Vince Davis, Director of Disaster Services for Feeding America. In our conversation we discuss their role in providing support to day-to-day food bank operations throughout the United States. Then, we also go into the role the organization plays in disasters. The coordination that is needed by governments with state and local foodbanks is something that Vince emphasizes. The goal is to have these relationships in place before there is a disaster.”
I would add that for emergency managers looking at how to run a Community Point of Distribution (CPOD), they should be coordinating with and learning from the food banks that operate in their community. Here is the official definition if you are not familiar with this term: Community Points of Distribution are sites where the public can pick up life-sustaining emergency relief supplies following a disaster. CPOD sites are needed when retail establishments are closed and the public does not have access to basic commodities (food, water, ice, etc.).
Eric Holdeman is a nationally known emergency manager. He has worked in emergency management at the federal, state and local government levels. Today he serves as the Director, Center for Regional Disaster Resilience (CRDR), which is part of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER). The focus for his work there is engaging the public and private sectors to work collaboratively on issues of common interest, regionally and cross jurisdictionally.
