Feeding Fostoria

Libra Martin doesn't know what the future will hold for helping those in need of food, but she's keeping an eye on the situation. And the statistics from the last food distribution hosted by First Call for Help Fostoria and other area agencies led her to believe a need remains in the area, so another distribution has been scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday in the south parking lot of Fostoria Elementary School. Martin, the coordinator of the United Way of Fostoria's First Call for Help Fostoria program, said the last food distribution, in early March, attracted 347 household representations containing a total of 932 individuals. "It gives us maybe an assessment of what the next one will look like, as far as how much food we will need, as well as it kind of lets us know if there's still a need in the area. With that amount of individuals attending and that breakdown of the number of individuals we're actually serving, that leads us to believe there's still a need there." Thursday's distribution will be the ninth locally since the coronavirus pandemic hit the world in March 2020. Eight events took place in Fostoria in 2020. Thursday's will be the second of this year. "I hope individuals who have a need will come out," Martin said. "One thing we noticed with our numbers the last time is a little bit of an increase with seniors — with individuals 60 and older, we noticed that, so we want to keep an eye on that and make sure that we try to get flyers and different advertisements to the senior population." Martin said 12 to 15 local volunteers have typically assisted in each distribution session, in which members of Lima's base of the Ohio National Guard unload trucks of food provided by the West Ohio Food Bank and place the goods into people's vehicles. It's done drive-through style, with occupants of the vehicles remaining inside. Tommie Harner, executive director of the West Ohio Food Bank in Lima, said the West Ohio Food Bank will provide about 20,000 pounds of food — approximately 16,667 meals — for Thursday's event. In addition to the United Way of Fostoria, First Call for Help Fostoria, the West Ohio Food Bank and the Ohio National Guard, collaborators in conducting the food distribution include Pantry Plus of Seneca County, the Geary Family YMCA and Fostoria City Schools. Persons arriving to pick up food will be directed into the parking lot and should not arrive prior to 10:15 a.m. Everyone should stay in their vehicles, and volunteers will go to each vehicle to check photo identifications that must be provided by an adult representative of a family. No more than two families should be represented in each vehicle. For more information, contact First Call for Help Fostoria at (419) 435-2555.