APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wisconsin’s Workforce Development Department says 300,000 people have filed for unemployment in the last month.
Despite the changing economic climate, Loaves & Fishes Executive Director Shannon Krahn tells FOX 11 attendance hasn’t changed drastically.
“We were serving in our dining room around 100 people a night. We’re currently still serving around that same number. We’re sending about 31 meals over to people who are shut-in over at Oneida Heights.”
People used to sit in the dining room to eat, but Krahn says COVID-19 has forced Loaves & Fishes to make changes.
“We started bagging all our meals so they’re to-go meals. People are driving up and we’re passing them straight through the window to people to minimize contact.”
Krahn says as the coronavirus pandemic continues, she expects more people to start using their services.
“We’re seeing regulars from our dining room meal, but we’re also seeing a lot of new faces come through and new families every week. So I think that’s very possible that we may see a greater need or more people come through as this goes on.”
The St. Joseph Food Program’s executive director. Monica Clare, agrees.
“We just have no way of knowing exactly how hard hit people will be. But once their own emergency resources run out, there are going to be some people who never asked for help before who are still gonna need help later.”
Clare says attendance at St. Joe’s has fluctuated.
“Our numbers actually dropped down a little bit at the beginning because I think people were afraid to come out, they didn’t know if we were open, just lots of reasons. They didn’t know if they were allowed to come. Now that they found out it’s okay, those numbers are starting to go back up.”
