The Observatory

As of Monday of this week, the Carimus team has decided to close our office and take our workforce remotely.  We will be working with our clients during our regular office hours and will continue to provide flexible schedules as required.   

The spread of COVID-19, is like nothing we’ve seen in our lifetimes. While many organizations like ours are able to maintain normal business operations remotely, we need to remember that not all of our community members are so fortunate.    

According to Raleigh-based Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, about 600,000 North Carolina households don’t have enough to eat, making our state the 10th hungriest in the nation. Especially saddening is the fact that nearly a quarter of all children in our state face hunger on a regular basis. 

As you may know, many of our children rely on their schools, now closed, to at least provide a healthy breakfast and lunch, just as many seniors rely on senior centers and other facilities for nourishment. Many families previously living paycheck to paycheck may now fall into the ranks of the hungry when one or more adult family members lose or see heavy restrictions on their employment and earning ability. The advent of the coronavirus calls for us to work together to make sure everyone’s fed since our society is necessarily reshaping itself to slow and stop the pandemic as much as possible. 

Our GoodBookey Partners at Small Hands Big Hearts United put together a list of charities who can help out our local community.   If you are able, please consider contributing to these organizations. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments please reach out to your partner manager or send us an email at connect@carimus.com 

Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina

This regional food bank services families in 34 counties spread across the Piedmont and eastern NC. According to their COVID-19 response page, the Food Bank is looking to shift inventory to meet the unique needs of the outbreak, and the most necessary donations are financial. Follow this link to donate. 

Dorcas Ministries

Operating since 1968, Dorcas Ministries is actively seeking donations to its food pantry for addressing food insecurity in Cary and Morrisville.  Take a look at their Food Pantry needs page and donate at the receiving door at their High House Road location in Cary. 

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

This Raleigh-based nonprofit partners with multiple community partners—churches, senior centers, and low-income housing—to feed around 60,000 Triangle residents each month. To help them in their mission to feed kids, families, and seniors, follow this link to donate.

Grow Our Kids

This wonderful organization, based in Apex, aligns with the food insecurity challenges faced by children in year-round school programs. In response to COVID-19, Grow Our Kids is working with area school social workers to get food to year-round families in need.  They have five drop-off locations across Wake County where donors may leave food items, which are listed on their COVID-19 response page. 

Feeding America

This incredible charity coordinates the fight against hunger by enabling donations to food banks across the country. People in the Raleigh area, for example, are instantly connected to both the inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. You can also visit their fundraising page to donate to food banks across the country in this time of crisis.