Grocery stores aren’t the only ones getting hit hard right now.

As measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 have essentially placed numerous industries on pause, the economic ripple-effect has been felt in communities across the country. As a consequence, social services are seeing their resources stretched thin.

That’s why, last week, we put a call out to various social services and religious organizations in our home-region of Owensboro, KY, asking how we could help.

By Friday, April 17, we had coordinated with nine different groups to donate more than 23,000 pounds of our products to the food pantries and homeless shelters they run.

It’s just one small way we can give back, but—for a home community that’s been so supportive of us—we feel fortunate to be able to help out in this way.

“We recognize the stress this crisis has placed upon many families and organizations in our community, and likewise the need for us to pull together and help each other through this time” says Eric Sheiss, the President of Specialty Foods Group, our parent company. “Product donations are just one piece of the puzzle of responding to this national emergency, and we feel fortunate to be able to contribute to our local community in this way.”

The donations, which were largely hams and different types of lunchmeat, were distributed to the Salvation Army of Owensboro, the Help Office of Owensboro, Boulware Mission, St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter, the Daniel Pitino Shelter, God’s House of Hope, King’s Table Food Pantry, the Christian Food Bank of Hopkins County, and the Senior Community Center of Owensboro-Daviess County.

Jerry Moore, employee at the Daniel Pitino Shelter, which offers housing and meals for those experiencing homelessness, says they’re definitely seeing a spike in visitors: “Our kitchen usually serves between 85 and 100 lunches per day, but lately I’d say we’re averaging about 150, so these food donations are a huge help.”