MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Second Harvest Food Bank will be stopping operations for two days as a safety precaution after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
The nonprofit has been working to provide emergency food assistance to people in need across 18 counties during the pandemic.
In a release, Second Harvest said a staff member who had worked in the building tested positive for COVID-19. The member had been quarantining since Oct. 7 after feeling symptoms, but the organization learned of the confirmed case on Oct. 10.
Moving forward, the food bank will close the warehouse and offices for the next two days while all facilities are cleaned. It will reopen on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
At this time, the procedures for Second Harvest are as follows:
- The warehouse and offices will reopen on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The warehouse and offices are closed until then for thorough cleaning of the facility.
- No volunteers are allowed in the building until it reopens on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
- Administrative, Development, Agency Relations and Programs staff members will work remotely; however, all trucks will be grounded until Wednesday, Oct. 14. All Mobile Pantries, Food Rescue and Rural Route programs will NOT deliver on Monday, Oct. 12 and Tuesday, Oct. 13.
- All agencies and businesses will be contacted regarding their deliveries and order pickups based on chronological order of delivery. Pickup times that were scheduled for Oct. 12 and 13 will also be contacted to reschedule.
Second Harvest said it continues to follow guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Feeding America to protect clients, partner agencies and volunteers from exposure.
