Shari's Update - 5/8/2022

​WCHI is so excited to finally provide inside food distributions for our Pantry guests. They will now be able to choose the foods they will eat from our inventory. We are not a food store and are limited with food items that we can provide.
Previously, we had pre-bagged food items, and everyone received the same food. Guests will now have a larger choice of food. Our inside distribution occurs on Thursday, May 12 th after the newspaper’s delivery. I will have an update for you in next week’s article.
Our next Free Community Meal is hosted by Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church, 3300 7 th St, Whitehall on Tuesday, May 17 th from 4-6:30 pm. They are providing a delicious hot meal and guests can either come in and eat inside or take out is available. Meals are guaranteed for the 1 st 100 guests. Once the food has been given out, the doors will be closed. For more info, please call Bible Fellowship Church 610-434-8861 or Karen Haberern, Free Community Meal Chair, 610-730-
3184.
WCHI is pleased to have wonderful volunteers to plant and maintain our vegetable raised beds at our WCHI Garden at the Mickley-Prydun Farm. We have a few raised beds still available for volunteers to cultivate. WCHI provides everything. We just need a couple more gardeners to help with a bed or two. These come in varying sizes. The grown vegetables are given to the children attending our Children’s Summer Feeding Program (CSFP). When the children return to school on August 29 th , the vegetables are then given to our pantry guests until the end of the growing season in October. If you are interested or have questions, please call 484-225-0358.
WCHI provides this Children’s Summer Feeding Program (CSFP) for Whitehall and Coplay Low Income Residents ONLY and there are income limit requirements. A valid driver’s license or utility bill is required to register. The parent must register the children. The CSFP will run from June 15 th though August 24 th every Monday and Wednesday 10-11 am. Once registered, the children or parent may pick up the food. Please note: if the parent is working during the Monday and Wednesday 10-11 am food distribution, WCHI will accommodate you by providing the parent with the five bags of food per child at our Whitehall Food Pantry Location, 3024 S Ruch St, Whitehall in the parking lot by our shed on Wednesday evenings 6-7pm during the 10.5-week program.
This year’s CSFP highlights include providing shelf stable food for 5 breakfast and 5 lunches. This will be a drop and go food distribution. On Mondays every child will receive shelf stable food for a breakfast and a lunch for Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, each child will receive shelf stable food for a breakfast and lunch for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. WCHI will also provide children with: Free books for children all summer; Christmas in July presents; and
Free filled Backpacks for school in August.
We are having four CSFP location sites this this year. We would like as many parents as possible to pre-register for two reasons
​– 1. It reminds the households that this program will be held again this summer.
​- 2. It lets us know how many bags to prepack for each site location. These four sites are at the same locations as last year. (The Egypt and Clementon Sites were not utilized enough last year
to keep them open again in 2022). Please register at the site closest to your home’s location and note the pre- registration Days and Times:
• Mickley Run Apts, Whitehall, Parking lot closest to the 350 building off Overlook Rd) -Tuesday, May 17 th , 5-7 pm
• Redeemed Christian Church of God, 5 N 3 rd St, Coplay -Thursday, May 19 th , 5-7 pm
• Maryland Circle Apts, 1 Maryland Circle, Whitehall -Thursday May 19 th , 5-7 pm
• St John’s Lutheran Church, 835 N 3 rd St, Whitehall - Saturday, May 21, 11am-1pm
Questions, please call Sue Butchinski, Children’s Summer Feeding Program Chair, 484-767-6022
Have a great week!!