A couple of weeks ago, restaurant manager, Jessica Banta, of Aurora, couldn’t sleep one night. She was thinking about all the employees she just had to lay off due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The next morning, she called her friend, Brandon Lyon, and told him that they had to do something! They connected with the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry (MWFP) in Aurora, and after a meeting with “energizer-bunny” executive director, Diane Renner, ‘The Relief Coalition’ was born.
Their concept is that laid-offworkers will help their unemployed friends, hence their slogan, “For the People, By the People.” After meetings with the MWFP and some orientation and training, March 31, the Relief Coalition’s dream was reached. Jessica, Brandon, and approximately 10 dedicated volunteers stuffed boxes full of food and placed them into more than 75 cars. This first distribution fed 351 adults and children. The following Tuesday they almost doubled the number of cars, more than 148, and distributed enough food to feed 823. The plan is to distribute every Tuesday afternoon until the money runs out.
Tuesday, April 7, there was a line down the block, stacked up bumper to bumper. Most of these individuals have never had to go to a food pantry, so the fact they wore masks and were served by angels in masks, probably made it less uncomfortable.
So, this energetic bunch, with the help of Diane Renner, hopes to keep helping their peeps. But they need $$ to do so. They estimate that it will cost about $1,800 each week for the Relief Coalition to continue to feed their co-workers and friends in need. They have a website, www.reliefcoalition.org, a Go Fund Me page, a Facebook page, and will hold a virtual fundraiser “Relief Aid” Saturday, April 25 a 7 p.m., an on-line concert featuring Aurora area artists. For more information go to
ReliefCoalition.org and click on Relief Aid.