Pittsburgh Area Residents Queue Two Miles for Drive Through Food Bank Distribution

As more essential service outlets start to become overwhelmed at the stress upon their food delivery operations; and with more food store employees necessarily absent due to the coronavirus spread; regionally, the food supply chain will becoming more dependent on food bank distribution.

If the virus spread continues at current pace, some regional supermarkets with multiple locations will likely begin targeted shut-downs by retreating and disbursing available healthy (non-infected) employees on a store-by-store basis.  The potential for this issue is most likely to first originate within urban communities; and then outflow.

Hundreds of cars wait to receive food from the Greater Community Food Bank in Duquesne. Collection begins at noon. @PghFoodBank @PittsburghPG pic.twitter.com/94YFaO7dqX

— Andrew Rush (@andrewrush) March 30, 2020

Hundreds of cars are already in line for the @PghFoodBank food distribution. It goes from noon-3 today. Traffic restrictions are already in place in Duquesne. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/SrJEkamZ3w

— Chris Hoffman (@NewsmanChris) March 30, 2020

Depending on your location, and depending on your potential risk exposure to these types of impacts, it would be suggested to prepare yourself and your family accordingly.

This phase, the phase everyone is hoping to avoid, is not a total supply issue; there is no shortage of food products.  The issue becomes one of local distribution where diminished workforce capacity begins to have an impact on the local provider.