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DOWAGIAC — A Cassopolis business is doing its part to make sure a nonprofit stays safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

CHT USA, 805 Wolfe Ave., Cassopolis, donated a case of its own hand sanitizer to ACTION Ministries, a Dowagiac-based nonprofit, for safety precautions.

The specialty chemistry company has been producing and manufacturing hand sanitizer at its Cassopolis site to donate to local organizations. CHT USA also donated cases of hand sanitizer to ACTION Ministries, American Red Cross and the Dowagiac Fire Department in the spring.

“We really appreciate the donation of hand sanitizer,” said ACTION Ministries president Karen Benedix. “We were almost out and would have had to use donated funds meant for food to purchase the sanitizer. We need to wipe off the tables, chairs and everything that people touch in order to stay safe. A huge thank you to CHT for their generosity and willingness to help the community stay safe.”

ACTION Ministries, 301 Main St., Dowagiac, aims to promote a healthy, caring and just community for all people by providing the basic need of food, representatives said.

The food pantry is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. The organization served 81 families on Saturday, Nov. 21, totaling 204 people. ACTION then sponsored a Feeding America Mobile Pantry Truck on Monday at the Fire Station, serving 109 families totaling 323 people.

“We had to turn away about 45 cars because we ran out of food. Each truck contains 5,000 pounds of food,” Benedix said.

According to Benedix, the next Feeding America food truck is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 3, and will be hosted by the First United Methodist Church, 326 N. Lowe St., Dowagiac.

Benedix said the organization is always looking for volunteers and donations. Every $1 donated will buy $6 worth of food from Feeding America.

“There are so many hungry people in this tri-county area,” she said. “We are just trying to follow Jesus’ command that we feed the hungry.”