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WOUB Lends Helping Hands at Meigs County Food Distribution
< < Back toNeed great during this unprecedented public health emergency
POMEROY, OH – With the increase in need emerging as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, several employees from WOUB Public Media volunteered yesterday morning (Tuesday) with Indivisible Appalachia Ohio and the Southeast Ohio Foodbank to distribute food to income eligible families who are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines in Meigs County. The distribution took place at the Meigs County Fairgrounds, as more than 200 cars drove through to have food loaded in their trunks.
“Several safety precautions were put in place by the distribution organizers to make sure contact was limited in light of concerns regarding the spread of the coronavirus,” said WOUB Community Engagement Manager Cheri Russo. “Due to those precautions, we thought this was a safe way to help those in the most need during these unprecedented times.”
During WOUB Public Radio’s Winter Pledge Drive, listeners came through for the station and the local community by committing WOUB employees to 44 hours of volunteer work in our region. WOUB offered listeners the opportunity to choose the “Community Give Back” gift option when they pledged $100 or more to WOUB. So instead of getting a “Thank You” gift in the mail, each supporter chose to dedicate WOUB employees to two hours of volunteer community service for other nonprofits in the region.
“We had no idea at that time that this crisis was going to limit access to necessities and put extra strain on so many who were already in need,” said Russo. “WOUB employees who were able to help were happy to do their part to help others.”
The food distribution is only one of the ways WOUB is distributing those volunteer hours out in the community. WOUB is working with other nonprofit organizations to schedule and coordinate opportunities for WOUB staff members to come and volunteer in the coming months.
“At this time when we are all wondering what we can do to help those in need, this was a wonderful, safe way to make sure we are taking care of each other,” said Russo. “I’m grateful WOUB was able to help organizations like this during this public health emergency.”
WOUB plans to continue offering the “Community Give Back” option during future radio and television pledge drives.