The Haines Emergency Operations Committee submitted a plan for food security in the event of supply chain disruption to the borough. There are no major issues with the supply chain, but a dramatic uptick in unemployment has caused an  immediate need for food assistance.

The Haines Salvation Army offers year round food aid to residents in need. Lately, Captain Kevin Wood and his wife Serena are working harder than ever.

“Normally we do, average kind of thing, eight to ten food boxes a month,” he said.

“But in the last three weeks, we’ve done 74 food boxes in the last three weeks. So the need is definitely rising.”

He said many of the deliveries are to the recently unemployed. In the last month of increased public health precautions and layoffs due to the impact of the coronavirus, Alaskans are filing for unemployment by the tens of thousands.

That means Wood has answered the call not only for food, but other relief services the Salvation Army offers as well.

“We also do energy assistance and rental assistance and, you know, if you need heating oil, stuff like that, you know, and as well as during this time, we’ve been doing a lot more even emotional and spiritual care as well,” Wood said.

Wood said the Salvation Army is always operating on a tight budget, but lately their resources are stretched thinner than ever. He said even the regional headquarters has not seen donations that meet demand. Salvation Army’s Anchorage offices did not respond to requests for comment.

A volunteer serves free lunch at the Haines school. (Stremple/KHNS)

The Christian charity group is not alone in offering food aid. The Haines Borough School District offers lunch to all children without charge through the school year, with the potential to continue service throughout the summer.

“We’ve seen a steady increase in the number of students that are accessing that,” said Superintendent Roy Getchell.

“We’re happy to be able to provide that. Our food service staff has been phenomenal in meeting that need.”

He said up to 250 children a day benefit from the service. Since the majority of the district’s students qualify for free and reduced cost lunches, it receives federal Department of Agriculture and Department of Education funding.

Both the district and the Salvation Army are part of the Haines Emergency Operations Committee’s proposal for food security in the borough. Getchell offered the district’s food storage and preparation facilities to the borough in the event of a food shortage and the Salvation Army said it would continue to furnish food boxes.

The EOC Food Security Task Force estimates that in a time of crisis up to 1,200 people from the Haines community would need food assistance each day. It proposes the borough stock up on dry goods to be prepared locally or on shelf stable MREs, or Meals Ready to Eat, in case of a disruption in barge service.

But for now, the issue is not supply. It’s the ability to afford the food that’s here.