Paul's Pantry will not hold World Food Day ceremony for the first time in 37 years

Every year, school kids and community members come out for a ceremony at the pantry.

A DAY TYPICALLYCELEBRATED ATPAUL'S PANTRY INGREEN BAY.THAT CAN'T HAPPENTHIS YEAR..BUT N-B-C26'S JENNA BREESHOWS US HOW YOUCAN STILL HELP FIGHTHUNGER...AN ANNUALTRADITION..HALTEDBY COVID-19.PAUL'S PANTRYEXECUTIVE DIRECTORCRAIG ROBBINS SAYSIT WASN'T SAFE TOPUT ON ITS USUALACTIVITIES TODAYDUE TO THE COVID-19PANDEMIC.BUT HE STILL WANTSPEOPLE TORECOGNIZE WORLDFOOD DAY.."It's just kind of a day toremind people that hungeris real, and it exists in ourcommunity,"ROBBINS SAYS THEPANTRY DISTRIBUTESAN AVERAGE OF 20THOUSAND POUNDSOF FOOD EACH DAY.AND MORE PEOPLEARE IN NEED THANEVER BEFORE."Keep those folks thatmaybe have lost their jobsor had hours cut becauseof the pandemic in mymind."AT THE BEGINNING OFTHE PANDEMIC THEPANTRY RECEIVEDTONS OFDONATIONS."In the beginning there wassuch an outpouring ofgenerosity.

It wasunbelievable.

It was likeChristmas here."BUT ROBBINS SAYSTHE MOMENTUM HASSINCE SLOWED.AND WITH WINTERCOMING, THEY'REENCOURAGING PEOPLETO SET ASIDE FUNDS INTHEIR HOLIDAYBUDGETS TO HELPOUT."It's going to be a tough gofor a lot of people thisyear"HE SAYS VOLUNTEERHOURS ARE DOWN BY14,000 HOURS,SINCE MANY PEOPLEWHO REGULARLYHELP OUT ARE OLDEROR IN AT-RISKGROUPS FOR COVID-19."We miss them verymuch.

But we'd rather seethem safe and healthy."JENNIFER LIEBERENZHAS BEENVOLUNTEERING SINCETHE BEGINNING OFTHE PANDEMIC.."You get to just see thelight in their eyes whenthey know they're going tobe okay."SHE WANTS PEOPLETO KNOW PAUL'SPANTRY REALLYNEEDS DONATIONS."We're in a new age.

We'rein a new time where Idon't think those peoplewho have lived here theirwhole lives are aware ofthe need that we havehere now."SHE ALSO WANTSPEOPLE TO KNOWTHERE'S ENOUGHFOOD FOREVERYONE.."We're here.

We've beenopen the whole time.Come, get what youneed."..

AND THERE'S NOSHAME IN BEING INNEED.IN GREEN BAY, JENNABREE, N-B-C 26.IF WANT TO DONATEFOOD OR VOLUNTEERAT PAUL'S PANTRY --VISIT OURWEBSITE..N-B-C 26DOT CO