This Thursday, December 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in parking lots C and D of Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, the Ohio County Family Resource Network will be hosting their final Mobile Food Pantry of the year in partnership with Mountaineer Food Bank. Additional services to the community will include COVID-19 Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccinations, including boosters, as well as flu shots provided by Wheeling Health Right and UniCare Health Plan.
The first 50 participants age 12 and over who receive the flu or COVID-19 vaccination will receive a $25 gift card to Walmart courtesy of UniCare Health Plan. In addition to the $25 gift card, UniCare members ages 12+ are eligible for an additional $50 after completing their COVID-19 vaccination series through their Health Rewards Program. This is incentive is for members that received their COVID-19 vaccines on October 1 or after.
Cornerstone Care in partnership with Adagio Health will be providing mobile medical women’s and reproductive health services on site. For questions or to make an appointment for low or no cost care with the Cornerstone Care Mobile Medical Unit please call 724-705-3195. Appointments are not required.
Mountaineer Food Bank will provide meat, vegetables, milk, bread and more to those who drive through during the distribution. “This food distribution is possible with Mountaineer Food Bank due to Wheeling Island Casino graciously donating their parking lot and through volunteers from Williams Energy and a variety of area non-profits, including the Ohio County Food Security Team,” said Claudia Raymer, executive director of the Ohio County Family Resource Network.
Participants in the mobile food pantry may receive one box per vehicle. If there are two adults from two different households in a vehicle, they may be asked to drive through twice. Safety protocols will be in place during the distribution event – food boxes will only be placed in trunks, not inside vehicles. If participants do not have space for boxes in their trunk, they will be asked to pull to the side to clear space. No income verification or ID is required, however, participants will need to provide a West Virginia address. Ohio County does not currently have any mobile food pantry dates scheduled for 2022.
Anyone who is unable to attend the mobile food pantry may access food by visiting one of the many “blessing boxes” (24-hour food pantries) placed throughout the county, including locations at The Soup Kitchen, Bethlehem Elementary, Bridge Street Middle School, The Elks Lodge in South Wheeling, Greggsville Park, Garden Park in Warwood, Valley Grove Community Center or West Liberty Volunteer Fire Department. For more information about blessing boxes or the mobile food pantry, please contact Claudia Raymer at 304-232-5600 or OhioCountyFRN@yahoo.com.
For a full schedule of the Mountaineer Food Bank’s events, visit www.mountaineerfoodbank.org.