Coronavirus: Help for Tri-Cities cancer patients, seniors, hairdressers and others
If you’re needing help or are looking for ways to support other Tri-Citians during the coronavirus outbreak, here’s a few ways to give:
Cancer patient help
The Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation is accepting donations to help provide patients with a meal delivered from a restaurant.
The foundation is teaming up with area restaurants and chefs who participated in its Dine Out event in fall 2019 for the current “Dine In — Cancer Crushing COVID-19 Care.”
This week chef Kyle Thornhill of Tsunami Catering will be cooking lasagnas for patients. Next week Fiction at J. Bookwalter will cook meals.
A donation of $30 buys a meal for a patient and helps support a local restaurant. Donate at bit.ly/CancerCrushMeal.
Food for WSU students
Students at Washington State University Tri-Cities who are having trouble making ends meet can pick up food in Pasco.
The WSU Tri-Cities Cougar Cupboard sponsored by Lamb Weston will have boxes of nonperishable food to feed one to six people at the WSU Pasco Extension Office, 404 W. Clark St., from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The Cougar Cupboard on the Richland campus also has milk, brie cheese, prepared coleslaw and frozen potato packages available for pickup from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The cupboard also has non-food and personal hygiene packets being assembled by the Associated Students of WSU Tri-Cities.
According to a student survey, 37 percent of WSU Tri-Cities students find it difficult to cover their daily living expenses.
Check WSU Tri-Cities on Twitter for more information on pick-up times and items available.
WSU Tri-Cities also is collecting donations at tricities.wsu.edu/give to help students during the pandemic who need food, funding, technolgoy and other unexpected but necessary tools.
Food and diaper banks open
The St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank at 215 S 6th Ave. Pasco, is still open and operating from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Kathy Henn, the food bank president, says the organization has seen a decline in clientele and wants to reassure the public that they are open and have plenty of food and resources for the community.
Also, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Pasco on Road 36 is still operating its Wednesday morning food bank. They will bring out boxes of food to deliver to cars.
And, the Tri-Cities Diaper Bank is still open and operating with more information about locations and services available through its website.
Renee Martin, a resource coordinator for the diaper bank, says that if anyone has questions or concerns to reach out to their phone number 509-946-8807.
Helping Hands for Seniors
New efforts are being made to help isolated seniors who do not have a support network amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The new project is being supported by Tri-Cities retirement communities, professionals who work with seniors and business that provide services to seniors.
Donations such as hygiene items, pet supplies and household needs are being accepted at the following locations:
- PCP Consulting, 732 N. Center Parkway, Kennewick. Call: 509-713-9495.
- Windsong at Southridge, 4000 W. 24th Ave., Kennewick. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 509-202-4327 before drop off.
- Anthology Event Venue, 706 Williams Blvd., Richland. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 509-375-4000 or email kathy@castleeventcatering.com.
To volunteer or for more information, call 509-627-2522, email richsrassn@gmail.com or to to Helping Hands for Seniors TC on Facebook.
Hairdresser help
WOW Women of Wisdom is helping Tri-Cities area barbers and hairdressers who cannot work during the state’s shutdown of non-essential businesses.
Individual service providers in the beauty business industry will not qualify for Small Business Administration small business loans from the federal government, says Chaune Fitzgerald, owner of a Richland beauty salon.
She has started a GoFundMe fundraiser to provide help to those in the beauty service business and their families. To date it has raised $240.
Contributions are tax deductible.
Yakima Federal donates to nonprofits
Yakima Federal Savings and Loan is donating $5,000 to four Tri-City nonprofits.
The bank will donated $1,250 each to Tri-County Partners Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement of Washington Southeastern Region, Edith Bishel Center for the Blind and the 2nd Harvest Hunger Relief Network.
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 12:40 PM.