SANDPOINT — While market shopping at the food bank is on hold, Bonner Community Food Bank is committed to the community’s health, safety and nutrition.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Executive Director Debbie Love said the food bank is reducing its hours and both the Sandpoint and Priest River facilities will be closed Monday, March 23, Friday, March 27; Monday, March 30; and Tuesday, March 31, to prepare for changes in food distribution.

On Tuesday through Thursday, March 24-26, the food bank will assist current clients outside of the building from 9 a.m. to noon.

Love said the facility’s “market shopping” format will be suspended temporarily, and modified services will be provided.

While market shopping is suspended, clients may pick up monthly food boxes for each household, USDA (to qualified clients) and senior boxes (to qualified clients) once a month. Additionally, when available, clients may pick up produce, eggs, dairy and bakery items once a week.

In Sandpoint, beginning April 1, food bank hours will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Love said clients will be asked to park in the north side parking lot and come around to the south side of the building to pick up the food boxes. In Priest River, the food bank will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

“We urge everyone to be calm and help their neighbors,” she told the Daily Bee.

As supplies on local grocery stores’ shelves grow limited, Love said the food bank is in shorter supply. “It is our local grocers that are the biggest source of perishable items along with our community donations of other food items,” she said. “Money donated provides the funds to purchase additional items when available.”

There are ways, however, she said the community can help the food bank — and their friends and neighbors at the same time.

Volunteers are needed to bring food boxes to elders who are wisely staying at home at this time. Volunteers also are needed volunteers who can deliver the food bank’s weekend food bags to all elementary schools in the Lake Pend Oreille School District on Thursday, April 2, to hand out the food bags to the children who are part of the free/reduced lunch program.

“Donations are critical to help pay for food for the 1,600 monthly clients who have already been receiving help and the many who are now being laid off and suffering financially,” Love said. “If you have the financial resources to donate, that is the best way to help.”

For questions or if you would like to help, call the food bank in Sandpoint at 208-263-3663 or in Priest River at 208-448-4989.

Effective Thursday, March 19, Lake Pend Oreille School district is offering free sack lunches to 18 year and under in age individuals at four sites in the Lake Pend Oreille School District. Eligible individuals must be physically present to pick up a sack lunch, by federal law.

Sack lunches will be distributed from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Southside Elementary, Clark Fork Jr./Sr. High School, Kootenai Elementary School, and Farmin Stidwell Elementary School.

The Lake Pend Oreille School District has closed schools until April 5, at which point the decision will be revisited to determine if the district needs to continue with alternative methods of instruction or return to normal operations.

On Thursday, the Panhandle Animal Shelter announced that it was limiting public access to the shelter until further notice to help keep its employees and the community safe.

PAS Executive Director Mandy Evans said the shelter and its staff were making every effort to ensure most of its services are available by appointment, i.e. adoption, foodbank, low-cost vouchers, stray intake and emergency owner surrenders.

Evans added the shelter was monitoring government regulations and Centers for Disease Control recommendations and advised that the availability of services could change with limited notice.

Idaho public health officials said Idaho has 42 cases coronavirus cases, including three confirmed cases in Kootenai County. There have been 858 people tested through the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, including a handful from other states, as well as another 359 peoples tested at commercial labs in Idaho, according to the state’s coronavirus website, coronavirus.idaho.gov.

If people have concerns are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, their first step is to call their primary care provider before going to their office.

Coronavirus symptoms can include a fever (higher than 100.4 degrees), lower respiratory illness (a new cough, new shortness of breath and difficulty breathing), and direct contact with a confirmed COVID-19 person.

Binnall said as the hospital continues to provide care to all other emergency patients, BGH needs those coming to the Emergency Department with COVID-19 symptoms to follow the below guidelines.

• Call ahead of time to the Emergency Department at 208-265-1020.

• Upon arrival at the hospital, stay in your car, and call 208-265-1020, a staff member will come to the patient.

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.