Shari's Update - 5/1/2022

This article is to explain our Grand Opening procedures for the Inside Pantry Guest food distribution on Thursday, May 12th from 9:30am-7:00pm.  A scheduled appointment is now required.  If you need an appointment, please call
 484-225-0358 ASAP to accommodate you on May 12th. 
Both our Pantry Guests and Volunteers will take part in a totally new and exciting shopping experience.  These are our procedures.

1. Drive into the church parking lot as you normally do. For new guests, from 3024 S Ruch St at the St John the Baptist Church, turn onto Park Street, and come into our parking lot.  A volunteer greeter will direct you to park behind the rectory (house). Please remain in your car until 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
   
2. You will walk down the driveway between the house and the shed. Just past the school windows, come in the 1st door on the left.  A sign will be in the grass pointing to it.  Come down the steps and turn right into our Pantry. Another volunteer greeter shall direct you.
   
3. You will register with us.  We will give you a numbered card and then you will sit down in our waiting area.
   
4. A volunteer will call your number.  That volunteer will give you a grocery cart and write that number on your card.  The volunteer will accompany you throughout our pantry to do your “choice” shopping.   A “Choice Pantry” means that each household can choose the items that they would eat. WCHI Is no longer pre-bagging food for distribution. The volunteer will move the item from the shelf into your cart.
   
5. WCHI is not a grocery store and we have limited inventory.  You will have a shopping store type experience and we have designed our Pantry shopping area based on Feeding America, Feeding PA, and Second Harvest, and WCHI recommendations.  
   
6. Based on your household size, you will be selecting items you will eat in the following food types and available inventory.  This gives you an idea but is not the complete list of food that may be available: Canned Fruits-diced pears, sliced peaches, mango chunks; Canned Vegetables -green beans, sliced carrots, diced tomatoes; Canned Protein-tuna, chicken, beans, peanut butter; Grains–rice, spaghetti, couscous, mac & cheese, pancake mix, cereal; Canned Ready to Eat-beef stew, soup; Snacks-cookies, crackers, raisins; Beverages-Coffee, tea, shelf stable milk, juice boxes; condiments-salad dressing, jelly, pancake syrup; Health & Beauty-toilet paper and tissues; Frozen and Refrigerated: whatever is available.
   
7. When finished shopping, the guest will go out the door they came into the pantry and go up the steps to the driveway.  A volunteer will go out a different door with the shopping cart and meet the guest back outside at the guest entry door.  You will verify the number on the cart and the volunteer will walk with you to the end of the driveway to pick up your produce box.  Then the volunteer will help you load the items into your car. If you don’t have a dog or cat, then the guest leaves to the right of the parking lot by the white building.
   
8.  If you have a dog or cat, after your car has been loaded with your food items, you will drive to the specified pet location and a volunteer will put the animal food in your car.  Then you also will leave to the right of the parking lot by the white building.
   

WCHI is so excited to be able to provide our guests with the opportunity to select the food choices that they will eat.  We have tried to plan this new food disbursement operation the best we can.  Since this is our first-time providing food this way, please be patient with us if we need a few more minutes to complete the pantry walk-through process.  
Please call 484-225-0358 to register an appointment or to ask any questions you may have.  Thank you and have a great week!!