Pa. Members Assist with Food Distribution, Other Pandemic Response Missions

Capt. Matthew Chirik
Public Affairs Officer
Pennsylvania Wing

Over 100 Pennsylvania Wing members from 28 squadrons,are engaged in several missions across the commonwealth in support of their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On opposite sides of Pennsylvania, members are augmenting points of distribution sites for food and essential supplies to hundreds of households in the Bucks and Lawrence County communities under the direction of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

“One of the most serious but often overlooked is the effect it is having on schoolchildren, the elderly, the COVID-related unemployed as well as others of the most vulnerable citizens hit hardest by food insecurity,” said Robert Meinert, director of internal operations for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. “CAP's efforts make a difference in these and others’ lives.”

In addition to supporting distribution sites, Pennsylvania Wing members are supporting local communities by assembling personal protective equipment to be donated to local hospitals and emergency medical services. In Bucks County, several hundred masks have been donated to Doylestown Hospital.

Helping hands

Volunteers from the Willow Grove JRB Composite Squadron 902 and Doylestown Composite Squadron 907 help out supporting the food point of distribution point in Bucks County.

All missions are being supported by members virtually staffing the Pennsylvania Wing’s Emergency Operations Center. Nearly 20 incident staff officers serving in various roles are managing the ongoing operations and coordination of the expanding missions, as well as new requests that continue to come in from municipalities across Pennsylvania.

“Our members join CAP for the opportunity to serve their communities,” said Lt. Col. Brian Cuce, incident commander for the wing. “While we never wish for events of this scale to occur, these kinds of complex disaster relief missions are what we train for. We are extremely proud of the volunteerism our cadet and adult members have provided to their local communities across the commonwealth, and we are committed to continuing as long as our services are needed.”

Photos by Lt. Col. James Weller, Pennsylvania Wing