Thank you all for reading my weekly articles.

I do need volunteers for upcoming Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative events. At some point in the near future, I will create an additional Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative Sign-Up Genius account separate from our community outreach program one. For now, please contact me directly at 610-730-8067 if you can help with the following:

Every Wednesday starting June 17, I need eight to 10 volunteers who can help unload our truck noon-1 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 835 Third St., Whitehall, and reload the truck for our Coplay food distribution. We usually move between 4,000 and 10,000 pounds of food weekly.

The heaviest items we pick up every two weeks, to coincide with our food distribution, are fresh produce boxes, which weigh 22 pounds each. We need to take 100 of these boxes, plus other food items.

The whole operation takes about one hour and works very well with an organized production line.

The Hokey Fire Hall employees and their friends have been laid off from work since March due to COVID-19 and have graciously helped us weekly ever since. We are hopeful they will return to work the week of June 15. Without Joey Wildman and his wonderful team, we could not have provided all the food we did to our food-insecure residents. A big shout-out goes to every one of these wonderful men and women who have helped us the last few months.

I also need volunteers 10:30 a.m.-noon and/or 5:30-7 p.m. to distribute food at our Coplay location.

Starting June 15, we will be starting our Mickley Run outreach program with wonderful community partners including Greater Valley YMCA and DanJon Management.

I need two volunteers Mondays and Wednesdays to help provide food for the complex and area children. More information will come out in the next two weeks. I have planned this program for a year and am glad to see it come to fruition.

Our community outreach program will still operate into the summer months: June 4 and 18, July 2, 16 and 30 and, if needed, Aug. 13 and 27. Volunteers are needed 11 a.m.-noon and 6-7 p.m.

We are serving all households - adults, children and seniors - at Redeemed Christian Church of God, 5 N. Third St., Coplay, or St. John’s Lutheran Church, 835 Third St., Whitehall.

Residents can only go to one location. Identification is required. Nonresidents will be turned away.

On May 21, we served 208 children, 202 adults and 67 seniors for a total of 477 Coplay and Whitehall residents. The numbers are almost split equally at each location.

Thank you to all who provided food items or made monetary donations. We still need fruit cups, graham crackers, individual oatmeal packets, jelly, Jif To Go packs, macaroni and cheese boxes and bowls, marinara/spaghetti sauce jars or cans, pasta/rice sides, pudding cups, chicken ramen noodles, saltine crackers, small boxes of raisins, cans of soup and tuna or chicken.

Please have food shipped or drop it off at my office, Re/Max Unlimited, 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall. Leave it in front of the left door 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Do not tie bags on the front door handles. People are in the building and will bring the food inside. Please let me know you are making food donations. You are all very much appreciated and needed.

Monetary donations are also greatly appreciated. Make checks payable to Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative. On the memo line, put Community Outreach Program and mail to 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall, 18052. We are a 501(c)3 public charity, and your donation may be tax deductible. All donations go toward food purchases.

Contact me with any questions.