Hunger, which has always been a problem in America, has become more prevalent since the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the pandemic has left millions of Americans without jobs or sufficient income to support themselves or their families, it has also left many parents unable to purchase food for their children.

I have watched during the last several months as media reports have shown images of the increase of Americans across the United States waiting in their vehicles or standing in long lines to receive sustenance from local food banks or pantries due to the pandemic.

According to a recent CNN News report, 18 million children may experience food insecurity in 2020.

And with many schools going virtual this year, many children may not have access to their school’s free and reduced lunch program as in previous years.

According to usda.org, “In 2018, school cafeterias served nearly five billion lunches, with nearly three-quarters of the lunches free or at a reduced price.”

Feedingamerica.org states, “1,401,920 people in Pennsylvania are struggling with hunger, and of them, 399,270 are children.”

When a person suffers from food insecurity, he may have difficulty functioning successfully and may develop health issues.

Children who suffer from food insecurity may also have trouble learning in school and have behavioral problems.

There are several ways residents of the Lehigh Valley can help families in need of food.

• Volunteer at a local food bank or pantry collecting, packaging and handing out food.

• Donate bags of food or deliver a home-cooked meal directly to a family or person.

• Volunteer at a neighborhood soup kitchen that serves food to hungry children, adults and seniors.

• Donate food or money to a local food bank or pantry.

Lehigh Valley’s largest food bank - Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania - normally provides food to more than 60,000 people each month through 200 nonprofit agencies across six counties, Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne, and is seeking financial donations to help with the increase of residents who are in need of food.

Other Lehigh Valley food banks and pantries that help those in need include Whitehall Food Pantry; Coplay Food Bank; Northampton Area Food Bank; Catasauqua Community Food Bank; Parkland C.A.R.E.S. Food Pantry, Orefield; Christ’s Church at Lowhill Food Pantry, New Tripoli; Northern Lehigh Food Bank, Slatington; and Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank.

The Ecumenical Soup Kitchen and Lehigh County Conference of Churches Soup Kitchen are both in Allentown.

To find a local food bank or pantry in your area, go to shfblv.org, feedingamerica.org, foodpantries.org or needhelppayingbills.com/html/lehigh_county_food_banks.html.

Generously giving of your time or donating to one of the many food banks, pantries or soup kitchens in the Lehigh Valley is a great way to help families with children who are suffering food insecurity due to financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Susan Bryant

editorial assistant

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press