Bundle Up Butler safely distributes coats
Instead of hundreds of people cramming into the farm market on South Chestnut Street as usual to select a free winter coat, Bundle Up Butler was arranged as a very efficient coat drive-thru.
Jean Bowen, Bundle Up Butler project coordinator, said because of the coronavirus pandemic, families this year were instructed to call and preregister by listing the number of coats they need and their sizes.
When the family arrived on Friday at Butler Memorial Park near the former swimming pool, a volunteer asked the name and gave the family a large black number on bright pink paper to display on their windshield.
The family could then stop at information booths manned by the Community Food Bank, Early Learning Center, SafeKids Worldwide, Supportive Services for Veterans' Families or Community Care Connections to learn about the programs available at those agencies.
Another table offered colorful free masks.
After that, the family proceeded to Miller Shelter, where the bag of coats marked with the number on the windshield was handed over to the driver or placed in the back seat or trunk from a safe distance by a volunteer wearing a mask.Drivers then made a loop and stopped one more time to load up on three boxes of food and a gallon of milk.Those without vehicles were welcomed to walk up and get their coats.Bowen said she had 209 families preregister and 632 coats sorted, bagged and ready to be handed to the families.She also brought another 150 coats for those who arrived expecting a coat but had not preregistered.Volunteers stationed throughout the park, all in bright orange T-shirts and some in costume, guided the cars and walkers through the process.Bowen said a few sets of new walkie-talkies made the project proceed efficiently. She said 12 volunteers handled traffic control, 15 manned the shelter to hand out coats and 8 volunteers handled registration and distribution of the $15 gift cards donated by Aldi.NexTier employees, VITA tax preparers, AmeriCorps members and individuals volunteered to make Bundle Up Butler a success in a trying time.Bowen said normally Aldi provides food boxes, but could not this year because of the pandemic.She admitted to feeling slightly nervous about the altered process of handing out coats to the needy, but was pleased with the results.“It's worked out very well,” Bowen said. “Very organized.”
The only thing Bowen missed was the look on a small child's face as they slip into their new winter coat, which is a sight she said has warmed her heart each year.But the fact that she was able to distribute winterwear at all during the pandemic was enough for the longtime Bundle Up Butler coordinator.“In prior years, 300 people lined up at the doors and everyone wants to be first,” Bowen said. “Now they are driving through and everyone is happy.”Ashlea Hershey of Zelienople came to Bundle Up Butler to get coats for two young brothers her family is fostering.“They are going back (to their mother), so we wanted to get them coats so they are good for the winter,” Hershey said.Eric Rensel, a volunteer with Butler Health System's Assertive Community Treatment, drove three young men up to the Miller shelter to retrieve their new winterwear.“Bundle Up Butler definitely makes sure people are taken care of,” Rensel said as the bag of coats was passed to the passengers in the back seat of his SUV.Sandy Curry, the community partnership manager for Community Action, helped oversee the food distribution portion of Bundle Up Butler.She said each car that pulled up received a box containing cooked proteins like chicken fingers or sausage, a box of dairy products containing uncooked scrambled eggs, butter and cheese, a box of produce containing apples and potatoes and a gallon of milk.The food is provided through the federal Farmers to Families Food Box program, which was created to ensure Americans have enough to eat during the pandemic.
Curry said Community Action co-manages food distributions at the Big Butler Fairgrounds with the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank.Since the federal program was instituted at the start of the pandemic, 7,000 gallons of milk have been distributed to families in Butler County, she said.She said a survey at the beginning of the pandemic showed that access to food was the number-two concern of survey participants, with employment taking the top spot.“Everyone across the board has been very thankful for this program,” Curry said. “This has been our primary response to COVID, that people eat.”Bowen said if a needy person or family member calls Community Care Connections because they have an urgent need for food, she refers them to Curry.Curry said as part of the federal program, food has been delivered to the elderly, shut-ins, people without a vehicle and even those quarantining during the pandemic.“We drop those on the porch,” Curry said of the latter situation.Community Care Connections' information and referral line, which can be used by those without access to food, is 724-431-3748.Bowen said the Aldi gift cards distributed on Friday could supplement the boxes of food by allowing the families to buy paper products or other necessities at the store.She stressed that Bundle Up Butler is taking monetary donations, as volunteers plan to buy coats during the winter for next year's event.Donations can be made by sending a check to CCR, 212-214 S. Main St., Butler, PA 16001. Checks should be made out to Center for Community Resources and be marked “B.U.B.” in the note section.
