It’s a sign of the times for a society practicing social distancing: The Gospel Rescue Mission has created a free drive-through to help supplement basic needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

β€œPart of what we do at Gospel Rescue Mission is to provide life-transforming services to assist people with finding housing, jobs and recovery. We want to focus on people who are on the brink of homelessness to keep them from becoming homeless in the first place ,” said Victor Hightower, the development director at Gospel Rescue Mission.

Hightower said that β€œBlessings To Go” was designed to provide food boxes and other household items for those who might be forced to choose between food and other essential needs at this time.

β€œWe know that many people have lost their jobs or had their hours cut at work and we don’t want them to have to decide between buying something like medicine or a birthday present for their kid and buying food,” he said.

Hightower emphasized that the drive-through, which started last week and distributed 100 emergency food boxes from the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and 150 food bags from Gospel Rescue Mission, is low-touch.

β€œPeople can do drop-offs of donations or pick-ups in the same line. We are all being very careful. Along with food, we are also offering hope and prayer for everyone who is fearful and anxious during this crisis,” he said.


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Contact Loni Nannini at ninch2@comcast.net