‘Friends In Deed’ Pantry to Reopen on Tuesday After 11-Day Shutdown

Pasadena’s “Friends In Deed’’ food pantry is scheduled to be back in operation on Tuesday morning after an 11-day hiatus caused by one of its volunteers showing possible symptoms of COVID-19.

The man ultimately tested negative for the virus, Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater, the organization’s executive director, told Pasadena Now.

“About two or so weeks ago we had a volunteer who had started to exhibit symptoms of sickness — thankfully he’s fine, but we needed to close down for the quarantine period,’’ Grater said on Sunday.

“He had called our director and said he wasn’t feeling well and talked to his doctor, but he couldn’t get a (COVID-19) test at that point. And so we took the precautions, and then thankfully he had a negative (test), and he’s fine.”

“He had a cough and slight fever. We were being abundantly cautious. Especially since he couldn’t get tested.”

The pantry, which distributes food Tuesdays through Thursdays, last distributed on April 16, Grater said.

Grater said the pantry — located at 444 E. Washington Blvd. and N. Los Robles Avenue — will reopen on Tuesday at 10 a.m. Distributions will take place Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Before the coronavirus crisis struck, people could walk into the pantry and shop, but now, under social-distancing precautions, people must line up outside the pantry and receive pre-packaged bags, he said.

Grater also said that, before the crisis, his organization served about 350 households a week. Now, with unemployment skyrocketing, he expects the number to rise to “at least 500 households a week.’’

“Many of these folks will be first-time clients, having seen their jobs and incomes disappear or be greatly reduced,’’ Grater wrote last week in an op-ed article for Pasadena Now.

Donations are needed more than ever, Grater said Sunday.

“We are very concerned about the availability of food,’’ he said. “Traditionally, we get the majority of our food from the L.A. Regional Food Bank, and like most food banks, their supply is low. And so the selection has been low.

“People have been very generous … but a lot of our food also comes from groups who do food drives – schools and companies and congregations and scouts and things like that, who are not meeting. So we are also preparing for a drop-in (food supplies).

“So, food donations are going to be even more critical if we’re going to keep feeding the larger crowd. Food is going to be critical, and money.’’

Grater said that, where Friends in Deed used to accept food donations through the week, now the pantry accepts food donations only on Fridays and Saturdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. – the result of distribution now taking place outside on other days.

“Normally you can come in on any of those pantry days, but it’s too chaotic now with the parking lot, preparing bags and people around,’’ he said.

The pantry’s most-needed items, according to its website, are “canned tuna/chicken, hearty soups, stew, chili, peanut butter, cereal, rice, oil, sugar, flour and can openers.’’

Donors are advised to ring the bell at the red door in the parking lot when dropping off such items.

Grater said that, during Friends In Deed’s 11-day hiatus, families normally served by the organization were directed to other area pantries.

“We put up signs, and on our voicemails and stuff, that said where the other food pantries were and where they might be able to get food,’’ he said.

“These are folks, the overwhelming majority, they’re not homeless,’’ Grater said. “These are working poor, fixed-income seniors, and so they do have some income that, if they needed, they could go to the market. ‘’

Still, Grater said, “It definitely was a hardship.’’

“I don’t know how many went to other places,’’ he said. “We’ll find out on Tuesday.’’

For more information on donations or volunteering, call (626) 797-6072 or go to www.friendsindeedpas.org.