HOUSTON – Mayor Sylvester Turner said the Houston Food Bank is seeking volunteers to assist during the coronavirus pandemic. He toured the facility and meet with officials and volunteers Saturday.
"We are open and accepting volunteers," said a Houston Food Bank representative. "We are doing everything we can to make sure the volunteers that come in are socially distant. We are taking temperatures as they come in."
Houston Food Bank is leading efforts to feed the community. Officials and volunteers are required to wear masks inside the facility.
"As you can see, we're wearing the face coverings," Turner said. "The CDC has put together recommended guidelines. They're not mandatory...Things are changing."
Turner announced 103 additional people have recently tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the city’s case court to 690 on Saturday. He also announced a man in his 60s with underlying health conditions died. A total number of nine Houston residents have died due to coronavirus-related complications.
Turner continues to warn about the threat of asymptomatic individuals, which are those people may carry and spread the virus without displaying any symptoms.
"No cough or tightness of chest of fever --but the reports say you can be asymptomatic and still be contagious," Turner said.
However, despite those risks and the need for social distancing, volunteers at the Houston Food Bank are packing thousands of meals. The food is delivered every day to people in need, especially the elderly and immunocompromised.
The Houston Food Bank operates seven days a week and 23 hours a day.
Turner encouraged the public, who can donate their time, food, and cloth mask to the Houston Food Bank. He also thanked the public for social distancing. He said the city's efforts to flatten the virus are working, and the city's healthcare system is not overwhelmed.
"That's the critical goal," he said. "That's the objective of the social distancing and putting on these masks."
To support the Houston Food Bank, visit their website at www.houstonfoodbank.org.