The local Connected Community Schools (CCS) organization on Friday outlined assistance being offered by its Community Response Team in response to the COVID-19 situation.

• Gansevoort Elementary School on Friday hosted a Connected Community Schools food pantry, which is in addition to the Rome school district’s Food Service Grab and Go meal program on Monday-Friday,

Beginning next week, the CCS pantry will continue to serve the community on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon-2 p.m. at Gansevoort, 758 W. Liberty St.

The CCS announcement noted the schedule was adjusted following the food pantry’s opening day this week on Wednesday, which included two distribution sites from which over 1,000 families were served about 12,000 pounds of food in four hours.

The schedule adjustments were to “ensure the model is sustainable,” the announcement said. It added “while community members continue to step forward to bring donations and offer their help, the need is still acutely prevalent.”

The CCS team has organized all donations to go to the Rome Alliance for Education office, 509 N. James St., which is acting as the hub for the Community Response Team. The announcement said the team is accepting any donations for nonperishable/shelf-stable food products and hygiene products, as well as monetary donations; checks can be made out to Rome Alliance for Education.

CCS said it has the Venmo mobile payment service, “allowing us to safely accept any monetary donation and abide by the school distancing guidelines.”

• Notice was sent to the superintendents of the four connected school districts in the program — Rome, Dolgeville, Waterville, and Town of Webb — regarding a district referral system.

The system, in which struggling students and families get help in connecting to needed resources, will remain live and the CCS team will be on call to assist and support. Community members in Rome are encouraged to use the Response Team helpline, directing calls or texts to 315-982-2520.

They can also call 315-533-5723 or reach out on the Connected Community Schools Facebook page.