Thousands of families who previously obtained meals for their children through school district food programs scrambled to make ends meet while budgeting to cover unexpected rising household food costs. This was an opportunity for PCPL to both call on long-term partners and form new partnerships to distribute food to those in need. In collaboration with local school districts and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (CFBSA), PCPL expanded its regular food programming to include fresh produce and meals for adults.

Twelve libraries served as essential food distribution sites. Taking both heat and COVID-exposure risk factors into account, staff developed a protocol for safe food handling and distribution, including strict social distancing, contactless pickup and use of cleaning kits. A contract between the CFBSA and the Arizona National Guard gave the library access to fresh produce directly from area farms. In addition, adults received small meal kits, courtesy of the CFBSA, which helped ensure no one left empty-handed.

In total, between April and July 2020, Pima County Public Library staff distributed more than 48,500 snacks, boxes of produce, small meal kits and breakfast packs to all ages. This program is a prime example of how library staff rises to the occasion during crisis to increase services and connect our community with much-needed resources. During a time when the library could not operate as normal due to closure, rethinking our snack program allowed to provide services that helped ease the burden on many families.