With these changing times, Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative constantly has to adapt and adjust to the weekly needs that come before us for our community outreach program. Change is sometimes difficult, but we are doing the best we can to help our community.

On April 7, we picked up 200 loaves of bread and 200 rolls of toilet paper from our friends at Walmart in Whitehall. On April 9, the store donated 30 Easter baskets, which were given out on a first-come basis at the evening distribution in Coplay. Thank you, Anthony and Walmart!

On April 8, Hokey Fire Hall manager Joey Wildman, employees and its board helped unload 12,500 pounds of food we picked up from Second Harvest Food Bank. Second Harvest provides many food items at a much-reduced cost. Then, this group of eight people helped load our truck for our Coplay distribution. They all have very strong backs, were very organized and had a wonderful, systematic production line. They have graciously helped us with moving all Second Harvest food the last three weeks - but this was the heaviest load because of the weight of the fresh vegetables Second Harvest had available this week. Thank you to Hokey Fire Hall and to Second Harvest.

We have spent $5,000 of our hunger funds so far and sincerely thank our personal shoppers, who brave the stares when they take more than two items off the shelves for us. Honestly, we could not do the work we do without all our community partners and residents who have provided generous food and monetary donations, along with moral support, for this community outreach project. One resident is planting a vegetable garden for us this year. Thank you, all!

The No. 1 food item we need right now are large boxes and individual small boxes of cereal. Other items include fruit cups, pudding cups, peanut butter to-go packs, macaroni and cheese bowls, Chef Boyardee bowls and soup.

You can drop off your donations at my office door, Re/Max Unlimited Real Estate, 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall. The office is closed to the public, but people are in the office 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, and staff will bring the donations in over the weekend.

As you know, our mission is to alleviate food insecurity in Whitehall and Coplay. With so many people out of work, many people do not have the discretionary money they had before COVID-19 began. We cannot feed everybody and, therefore, had to close our two distribution sites to serve only Whitehall and Coplay residents. Identification is now required, and nonresidents will be turned away at all future distributions.

If you do not have ID, call or text me at 610-730-8067. For those turned away, a resource list of area food pantries is provided.

Throughout the week, many WCHI and volunteers from several different Whitehall and Coplay churches help Lana Snyder, Leah Saliby, Janice Stavrou, Jacob Hausman and Betty Duffy, who are spearheading the food operations at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church for both locations. They sort, shelve and bag the donated items and then get the bags ready for distribution. They all work long hours without complaining and graciously give their time to help those residents in need.

On April 9, we distributed food and basic toiletries to 235 children, 87 adults and 37 seniors in Whitehall; five children and three adults to St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic School for the Snack Pack Pal program; and 106 children, 112 adults and 34 seniors in Coplay. When all added up, we served 619 people!

Also on April 9, Coplay Food Pantry, who serves about 20 Coplay families, told those families to also come to our distribution when they finished picking up their Easter/April food that day. Thank you, Jodi, for sending them to our distribution, too. We are here to help.

WCHI members, Whitehall Area Rotary Club members, Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church members, Whitehall Mayor Michael P. Harakal Jr., two Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners members and State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-133rd, helped distribute the food. We greatly needed and appreciated everyone’s help as this operation gets larger every week.

The next distribution is 11 a.m.-noon and 6-7 p.m. April 23 at both Redeemed Christian Church of God, 5 N. Third St., Coplay, and St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 835 Third St., Fullerton.

A May distribution is being planned, and the date will be announced at a later time.

Thank you to every one of you who has donated time, talents and treasures to help those in need.