Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative has partnered with DanJon Management Corp. Inc. and Greater Valley YMCA for a brand-new summer lunch program at Mickley Run Apartments.

The free Grab & Go lunches are available 12-12:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays to all Mickley Run Apartments children 18 years old and under. This will run through Aug. 26.

This program was also to include programming for the children, but it cannot be done this summer because of COVID-19.

I am accepting new and slightly used books to give to the children. If you have any at home you no longer need, drop them off at my office, Re/Max Unlimited, 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall.

WCHI has other partners for different yearlong Mickley Run outreach programs that are currently on hold due to the coronavirus. Our vision is to work with the residents of Mickley Run to trust, look out for and help each other - a community within a community similar to the Roseto story from the 1950s I wrote about several months ago.

If this is successful, the model can be shared with other apartment complexes in Whitehall Township and Coplay Borough.

You can do this now with your own neighbors. A kind word or smile sometimes is all it takes to start a new friendship.

On June 18, volunteers from WCHI’s community outreach program distributed food to 208 children, 196 adults and 71 seniors for a total of 475 people. We served 25 more people from June 4. Our guests are so kind and appreciative.

We will be doing five more food distributions this summer: July 2, 16 and 30 and Aug. 13 and 27. Volunteers are needed and can sign up at signupgenius.com/go/5080f49afa623abfb6-wchisnackpackpals. Whitehall and Coplay residents have been so generous with their time, talents and treasures. We could not have done this program since March without your support!

Needed food items for this week include individual boxes of raisins, peanut butter or cheese snack crackers, large boxes of cereal, Hamburger Helper, tuna fish and boxed rice or pasta sides. Also, canned dog and cat food is provided to our guests who have animals.

My office is now open. Food can be delivered or shipped 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday or 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. The front door is open. You will need a face mask to come in. Please put your food items in the foyer to the right of the front door.

WCHI is working on a brand-new website. We are hopeful this will be up and running by July 1. I will have more information next week. A new WCHI email address will also be available.

In the meantime, if any of you want to be added to our WCHI email database or have any questions, please call or text me at 610-730-8067 or email me at shari@sharinoctor.com.

Thank you all again for your support these last few months. We all are making a difference in our community!