Shari's Update - 9/18/2022

The mission of the Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative from day one has been to alleviate food insecurity in Whitehall and Coplay. We are doing our best to help low-income residents by offering several programs: our Choice Food Pantry, Senior Boxes, our Children’s Food Program, and our Free Community Meals. The following explains the highlights of each of the programs. For more in-depth info, please call 
484-225-0358.
CHOICE FOOD PANTRY: We are located at St John the Baptist Church Complex, in the Christ the King School, 3024 S Ruch St, Whitehall. Our Pantry is open on both the 2nd and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 9:30am-1pm and from 4:30-7pm.  This is by appointment only and we close promptly at 1pm and 7pm.  Income limits apply and proof of residency is required.  Call 484-225-0358 today to schedule your October appointment. The table below summarizes the recent Pantry attendance. 

WCHI Food Pantry Attendance

.	Households	Children (0-17)	Adults (18-59)	Seniors (60+)	Total People
June	240	360	362	150	872
July	200	275	321	169	765
Aug.	222	327	366	170	863
Sept	215	349	366	161	876

WCHI is now offering SENIOR BOXES to our Pantry guests (age 60+) who may also qualify for an additional 35-pound food box, which includes: non-fat dry and shelf-stable fluid milk, juice, oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, dry beans, peanut butter, canned meat, poultry, or fish, and canned fruits and vegetables. Income limits are lower than Pantry food limits. If you financially qualify for a Senior Box, the paperwork will be completed during your Pantry visit. Once you are approved for the program, your Senior Boxes will be delivered to your home monthly.

CHILDREN’S FOOD PROGRAM: WCHI was administrating the Snack Pack Pal program with the Whitehall-Coplay School District for a few years.  We obtained the shelf stable food, packed 157 bags, and then delivered them to the school for distribution to each of the school buildings. A Snack Pack Pal bag provided additional food for the child for long weekends when school was closed. Some children were not taking the shelf stable bags of food we packed and delivered to the school.  We found out they either didn’t like the food we provided and/or there was the food insecurity stigma.  We also noticed we were feeding many more children monthly through our Pantry.

At our monthly pantry distributions, we are now going to provide more food specifically for Children.  The parents select the food items so we know they will eat the food and there is no stigma at our Pantry. This is a win-win for the children. We have renamed the “Snack Pack Pal Program” the “Children’s Food Program” and have all the donated funds in this new account.   We no longer are providing Snack Pack Pals to the School District.  For those parents who have not attended our Pantry, please schedule your appointment today.  See paragraph two above.

FREE COMMUNITY MEALS: WCHI and the Faith-Based Community are proud to provide these FREE 
meals to low-income Whitehall-Coplay residents twice a month. All are welcome to attend both meals on the 1st Sunday and 3rd Tuesday each month from 4:00-6:30 pm. Meals are guaranteed for the first 100 guests. Once the meals have been given out, the doors will be closed. A note will be posted that the meals are all finished, and this may be well before 6:30pm. Each site location will state if this is an inside or outside “Drop & Go” pick up distribution or if it is a dine-in meal. WCHI will post site requirements on Facebook for each meal a few days before.

Below is our October schedule:
Sunday, Oct 2, Muslim Assoc of the Lehigh Valley (MALV), 1988 Schadt Ave., Whitehall 703-346-8698 Tuesday, Oct 18, Redeemed Christian Church of God, 5 N. 3rd St., Coplay 610-262-8993

Our Free Community Meals are scheduled through December 2022.  A meeting will be held on October 18th at our Pantry at 11 am with the faith-based Community to schedule the 2023 meals.

Please call 484-225-0358 with questions on anything above.  Have a great week!!

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