The coronavirus is having a significant impact on the operations of Extended Hands Food Bank in Fountain Hills with events impeding the ability to serve the needs of the people who rely on it.

EHFB Director David Iverson said he would encourage people who are winter visitors and preparing to leave for the season to drop off extra food items they will not be using. Iverson said he has heard from people who are leaving early due to the coronavirus, returning home to be with grandchildren now out of school.

The food bank’s other sources of food donations are not faring so well. Iverson said a visit to a local grocery store on Monday resulted in about one quarter of what they normally receive.

“We can’t get milk,” Iverson said. “We are getting very little from stores and with a drop in donations we need to cut back on what we can distribute.”

The food bank is also implementing policies to avoid people hoarding. Some items are limited in number for distribution.

The next large food drive event is the postal drive in May, and Iverson said he is not certain that will be as successful as it has been.

Also, the food bank’s volunteer workers are cutting back.

“We had five volunteers who did not report,” Iverson said. “Many of them are retired and older and want to avoid the contact.”

At the same time the health emergency is impacting the food bank it is also affecting people in the community.

“We are getting a lot of calls, and people are coming in who we have not seen before,” Iverson said.