For the last two weeks, the @Southeast Alaska Food Bank and Sealaska transformed the parking lot of the Sealaska Plaza in Juneau into the Food Bank’s first-ever mobile food pantry. The Food Bank staff provided people in need with more than 5,400 pounds of food—including shelf staples, fresh produce and milk—in just over one hour at each event.

“It’s a new thing. We were trying to find out how much need there is and obviously the need is great,” said Chris Schapp, manager of Southeast Alaska Food Bank.

Sealaska’s role in hosting the mobile food pantry builds on a $25,000 donation Sealaska made to the Southeast Food Bank and the Food Bank of Alaska at the end of March. This emergency donation is helping both organizations get food to families and Elders who are struggling with the uncertainty of finding reliable food services during this difficult time.

This is not a one-time event. Sealaska intends to keep hosting the Food Bank as the crisis persists. “As long as the need continues, we’ll be down here at 3 o’clock every Wednesday,” said Schapp.