Douglas County, Serve Wenatchee Valley Partnering for COVID Food Assistance Program

Beginning November 1^st and currently scheduled to run through December 31^st, Douglas County announces its COVID-19 Emergency Food Assistance Program to be managed by Serve Wenatchee Valley (SWV). SWV has been contracted by the County to supervise and operate this program that is specifically designed to provide food staples for those directly affected by the novel COVID-19 virus. Qualified individuals/families must be currently living at their personal residence located in Douglas County and can answer yes to all of the following questions.

1. I have, or someone living in my home as tested positive for COVID-19 or been directly exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
2. I (we) are isolating or quarantining at home to limit exposure of the virus to my community.
3. I (we) do not have secure access to food during my time of isolation and quarantine.
4. My home address is located in Douglas County.

“Douglas County has secured funding to provide food for 400 families of four per month,” said Tiana Rowland, Douglas County Clerk of the Board. “The goal of this program is to encourage those in isolation or quarantine to stay home with a secure access to food so they can focus on getting well, while at the same time, protecting the health of their community by staying home.”

SWV is responsible for determining client eligibility pending referrals from medical providers and will receive those referrals directly from a medical provider. They will assess the need for food staples with the referred person/family and serve as a liaison between the referred person/family and the Town Toyota Center’s catering service, Beyond Creations, who is contracted for this program with Douglas County to provide the food box and care kits and deliver it to the referred person’s residence.

SWV will be responsible for contacting the Chelan Douglas Health District, medical providers and other community organizations and networks in Chelan County to inform them of this program. Medical providers and contact tracing teams are tasked with assessing the need for isolation and quarantine of individuals/families and connecting them with this resource by referral.  Because this is being run as a companion program to the existing COVID-19 EMERGENCY HOUSING I & Q FACILITY, medical professionals can connect people to the program that best meets their needs and the needs of our community as a whole.

“The value of running these programs together is that it offers an option of resources needed that best serves the families effected by COVID-19”, said Thom Nees, Executive Director Serve Wenatchee Valley. “If the individual/family requires isolation or quarantine with no secure living situation, the I & Q facility can be accessed. If they can isolate or quarantine at home but do not have secure access to food, the Food Assistance program is the answer.”

The Town Toyota Center will be providing food, box assembly, and delivery to every city, community, and corner of Douglas County. The State of Washington will provide food kits that will provide food for a single adult for 2-3 days and Beyond Creations will build boxes filled with staple food items including 5lbs of flour, 3lbs rice, 3lbs beans, 4 loaves wheat bread, 3lbs tortilla, 4lbs masa or pasta , 1gal vegetable oil , 3lbs lard, 10lbs potato, 12 cans of vegetables , and 12 cans of fruit. In addition to food, recipients will receive Care Kits as well. Care Kits will include such items as gloves, hand sanitizer, Lysol Disinfectant Spray, hand soap, Acetaminophen and more. SWV will contact eligible recipient(s) and will work to determine what food items best meets the needs of the COVID-19 isolated or quarantined individual and/or family by determining the family size, staple food needs, food allergies and dietary restrictions.

Contacts for program details:

• Tiana Rowland, Douglas County Clerk of the Board
  509-745-8537 troland@co.douglas.wa.us  
• Thom Nees, Serve Wenatchee Valley Executive Director
  509-630-4438 thom@servewenatchee.org
• Jim Kaing, Serve Wenatchee Valley COVID-19 I & Q Facility and Food Assistance Program Manager
  562-682-1364 jim@servewenatchee.org
• Mandi Lawless, Beyond Creations Catering Manager
  509-888-7340, beyondcreationscatering@towntoyotacenter.com

Press release provided by Serve Wenatchee Valley