UPDATE - March 13, 2020
Farmer Foodshare has decided to temporarily suspend operation of some of our programs due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak concerns:
Donation Stations
Donation Stations will not operate until after Saturday, March 28.
Cafeteria Taste tests
Cafeteria taste tests will not operate while Durham Public Schools are closed to students, currently through April 3.
We know COVID-19 is transmitted via direct contact with someone who has the illness or by touching a surface that an infected person has touched. Therefore, we have decided that suspending these programs is in the best interest of our volunteers, recipients, students, and the public at large.
We will continue to monitor the situation and will share further updates as needed. In the meantime, we are working with schools and other local organizations to identify ways to continue to provide fresh food to the community. More details to follow.
March 12, 2020
Dear friends,
Image via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On March 10, 2020, Governor Cooper declared a State of Emergency for North Carolina as more cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to be uncovered. We, like many of you, continue to actively monitor this rapidly-changing situation.
We’re following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties’ guidelines on responding to the spread of the virus and are working diligently to support and safeguard our staff, customers, and community members.
Our office and staff
There is no evidence that the virus is spread via food; however, it is transmitted by direct contact with someone who has the illness or by touching a surface that an infected person has touched.
As a precaution, we have implemented standard CDC-recommended safety protocols, including thoroughly washing hands, routinely disinfecting shared surfaces, refraining from touching our own faces, and avoiding unnecessary contact with others. Our staff are vigilantly self-monitoring, and if they feel sick at all, whether related to COVID-19 or not, they will stay home.
Our customers and community members
We are continuing to develop contingency plans for our public-facing programs and will post updates as they are available.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. You can reach me directly by email (george@farmerfoodshare.org) or by phone 919.917.2369. I welcome your questions, comments, and concerns.
Let’s work together to stay healthy.
George Jones
Executive Director