FAIRFIELD, Ohio — Desperate families are now turning to food banks after coronavirus fears emptied store shelves and closed up dine- in restaurants, but one food bank and a lot of volunteers are doing something to help fill the extra need. 

• Shared Harvest Food Bank making emergency food boxes 
• Delivering straight to elderly, kids in need, and coronavirus patients
• Organizers working to lift requirement so more families eligible to get the free food

Hundreds are being told not to come to work over coronavirus fears. Adam Bowling is one of them. 

“We were asked not to come back to the schools, so we’re meant stay at home,” said Bowling.

Instead, he came to the place that stays stocked up on food — Butler County’s Shared Harvest Food Bank —but he’s not there to get groceries for himself. 

“We know the need is great, so we’re gonna be out here until we can’t lift anymore,” said Bowling.

He’s one of the volunteers from the educational service center packing up emergency food boxes. The food bank started doing the emergency boxes after shoppers emptied store shelves. The problem is, only low-income families qualify for a box, at least for now. 

“Normally, people who access our food pantry network must be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, but we’re requesting waivers from the federal government to allow us to distribute the food to whomever is requesting it,” said Shared Harvest Executive Director Terry Perdue.

But until that happens, the emergency boxes they’re packing will be delivered straight to the front door of those in the most need — the elderly, school kids in need, and quarantined patients who tested positive for the virus. 

It’s part of the reason volunteers are wearing gloves, and taking precautions too. 

“We’re pre-screening to ensure that people have not been ill and have not traveled outside the country as well,” said Perdue.

To Adam Bowling it’s all worth it. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this, but I've never seen generosity pour out like this either, so if we keep working together, we can really make a big difference," said Bowling.

Shared Harvest is also trying to find more volunteers to help fill those emergency food boxes. 

If you or someone you know would like to help or needs help themselves, you can contact Shared Harvest at 513-874-0114 or go to their website.