Hickory – The Hickory Soup Kitchen has been and continues to closely monitor the evolving COVID-19 outbreak. While local health officials indicate the risk to our community remains low at this time, the health and safety of the guests we serve, and the volunteers and staff who serve them, are our top priority. With that in mind, please note the steps we are taking in an effort to continue HSK services that support the well-being of our guests.
We will continue to mandate strict hand-washing requirements and use of gloves for food distribution at all times. Outside of the food preparation areas and in addition to our standard cleaning requirement, we have implemented a more frequent schedule for cleaning and disinfecting, with particular focus on door handles, floors, tables, chairs, and ensuring hand sanitizer is available at all entrances for guests, staff, and volunteers.
We anticipate that COVID-related disruptions in our community may leave those we serve in greater need of our help. Many seniors and families we serve cannot afford to stock their pantries for a potential health crisis, and rely on us for food in emergencies. At this time, our pantry remains stocked and ready to serve those in need of groceries.
To reduce the possibility of community spread of the virus, we have closed our dining room and are distributing nutritious take-out meals. This went into effect on March 16th. We are also working closely with several community partners to ensure regular meals are still available to those in need throughout each day. The hours of service will change to 11am to 1pm in an effort to allow sufficient time for meals to be distributed in the most efficient manner.
Showers will remain available to guests from 8am to 9am.
Our volunteer program will continue as normal, but we understand and are supportive of volunteers who prefer to cancel their upcoming shifts. Volunteers who feel sick, have a fever, or have symptoms of illness should stay home, and not return until released to do so by a physician. Further, volunteers who have been in close contact with someone showing symptoms or receiving a COVID-19 diagnosis should stay home and follow the self-quarantine guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Public Health.
If you are able to donate items, we currently need any canned vegetables such as green beans, corn, potatoes, pork and beans, baked beans, and fruit. Donations can be dropped off at the Soup Kitchen between 7 AM and 2 PM Monday through Friday. The Hickory Soup Kitchen is located at 110 2nd St. Pl. SE, Hickory, North Carolina 28602.
The HOPE Project room will be closed until April 30, 2020 and resume operations on May 1.
Thank you for your understanding of these changes to a very fluid situation. We will continue to monitor developments related to COVID-19, and if any changes or updates become necessary, we will notify staff, volunteers, and guests as soon as soon as possible. We are grateful for your continued support of the Hickory Soup Kitchen.
