DALTON, Ga. — Anyone who wondered about the pernicious impact the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had on local families needed only to look at the line of hundreds of vehicles that snaked around Southeast Whitfield High School through its extensive entrance and out onto Riverbend Road on Thursday for a mobile food pantry.

“I’m shocked and amazed to see this turnout,” said Denise Pendley, Southeast’s principal. “It makes you smile, and at the same time it makes you sad.” 

Tracie Simmons, lead social worker for Whitfield County Schools, echoed those sentiments, noting, “It breaks my heart that all of us are going through this, but it also warms my heart that families are willing to come out for help.” 

“Pride is not keeping them from getting” this food, Simmons added. “At different phases in our lives, we all need help, but we’re not on an island by ourselves; we all need each other.”

Families said the food packages were much needed and appreciated. 

“We’re very grateful,” said Alex Munos, one of the individuals in the line. “We have a bunch of little brothers, and we could use this food.” 

Victoria Esquivel concurred with Munos, saying “It’ll help a lot.” 

“I’m a single mom on disability with four kids,” she added. “This is a really good idea and a good thing they’re doing.” 

The food boxes are also critical for Maria Antonio and her family.

“My mom is working, but is not getting paid much for it, and I have a little brother and an older brother,” said the 2019 graduate of Southeast. “They need food, and anything is going to be helpful.” 

With much of the economy at a virtual standstill due to the coronavirus, 16 million U.S. workers had filed for unemployment benefits in the last three weeks. Demand for food from food banks has also increased. 

“Our agency partners are letting us know about the need,” said Pedro Avila, program manager for north Georgia for the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. “They’re seeing a lot of new faces they’ve never seen before.” 

Indeed, “On the front end of this, we anticipated a 30% increase in operations, and we have seen at least that,” said Melanie Hammontree, director of development for the food bank. “We’re having to evaluate on a day-to-day basis how we can serve people who are in need, and while there’s already a (major) need, we expect there to be (more) with the pandemic.” 

Fortunately, “We have very loyal support, and we (believe) they will continue to meet the need in these unprecedented times,” Hammontree said. “The more (financial support) we receive, the more we can do in these communities, and we’re here to do what we need to do.”

Before the arrival of the coronavirus, Whitfield County already had more than 9,000 individuals considered “food insecure” — “they don’t know where their next meal is coming from”  — of whom nearly 6,000 are children, and “we expect more to come” as the country battles this pandemic, she said. While Thursday’s distribution was set for 3 p.m., “they were lined up at 1 p.m., (which illustrates) that a lot of people need our help right now.”

The mobile pantry was organized in only a couple of days to meet the immediate crisis, and more than 200 households received food, 516 children and 586 adults, Simmons said. “There is a lot of stress and worry about the unknown right now.” 

“These are hard times for our families, with a lot of (parents) unexpectedly out of work, but food is one thing I believe families shouldn’t have to stress over,” she added.  “We can’t pay the bills for everyone, but if this is one way to eliminate stress for families, that’s what we want to do.” 

The Chattanooga Area Food Bank serves 20 counties, nine of which are in Georgia including Whitfield and Murray, and last year invested 1.5 million meals in Whitfield County, Hammontree said. “Not everybody has the ability to stock the pantry right now, so it’s really critical for us to give more.” 

The food bank partners each February with Southeast for a food drive that serves 250-300 families, and organizers used that event as a basis for coordinating Thursday’s mobile pantry, she said, noting, “The model already existed.”

Adjustments were made in consideration of public health, including volunteers wearing masks and items being pre-sorted and pre-boxed, Hammontree said. Typically, individuals could choose items, but in order to limit contact, each 30-pound box had the same composition, a mix of canned goods, potatoes, juice, rice, beans, etc. 

“These are really good staples that will last for some time,” Simmons said. This year’s motto for Whitfield County Schools is “Better Together,” and Southeast’s mobile pantry is emblematic of that credo, because “it shows compassion and that we care.” 

Pendley buttressed that statement, noting the mobile food pantry “shows how much we care about our community.” 

“We have 15 volunteers from Southeast handing out food today,” Pendley added. “This is one thing we can do to help.” 

Antonio, a product of Whitfield County Schools, was another voice in that chorus.

“It’s good to see (the school and school system) helping families,” she said. “It’s true what they say.”