Sadly, we had to end our community outreach program Oct. 22 to keep our guests and volunteers safe due to reduced daylight. We have enjoyed working with wonderful volunteers, donors and all our guests since March.

This is just a temporary closure. Our new Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative Food Pantry will be located at St. John the Baptist Church, 3024 S. Ruch St., Stiles, in the former Christ the King School cafeteria. We are actively working on opening as soon as possible, but, realistically, the new pantry may not open until December or January 2021.

We sincerely thank the Rev. Msgr. Gerald E. Gobitas, Barbara Sukanick and the Diocese of Allentown for believing in our mission and working with us.

Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative’s mission is to alleviate food insecurity in Whitehall Township and Coplay Borough. As you know, I sit on Lehigh Valley Food Policy Council’s food access committee.

Food insecurity is going to get much worse before it gets better. Numbers are already rising in the Lehigh Valley. Our own distribution numbers were the highest ever Oct. 22.

These are the last four distribution numbers for both the Whitehall and Coplay locations combined. I am not sure why the senior numbers were down. It is possible something else came up for them Oct. 22.

Sept. 10

Children: 209

Adults: 232

Seniors: 65

Total people: 506

Households: 144

Sept. 24

Children: 238

Adults: 257

Seniors: 83

Total people: 578

Households: 165

Oct. 8

Children: 213

Adults: 233

Seniors: 79

Total people: 525

Households: 162

Oct. 22

Children: 262

Adults: 265

Seniors: 71

Total people: 598

Households: 176

As an aside, when Patricia Karo, WCHI board secretary, and I submitted the Lehigh County Cares grant application in September, we had already helped 1,234 people, as of Aug. 27. Some people came once, some came until they were able to go back to work, and some came to every distribution.

This number is much larger now since both sites have been adding new guests. I haven’t updated the data since I have been busy with the pantry. We hope to hear on the grant by the end of the month. We asked for physical items, like shelving, tables, refrigerators, freezers, etc., to start the pantry.

To all the many volunteers and Lana Snyder, Jake Hausman, Larry Weiss, Jen Dietz, Joey Wildman and Tom Noctor - thank you! I also wanted to thank all the monetary, food and toiletry product donors who helped us over the last six months. We really appreciate each and every one of you.

Many items were provided thanks to your generosity. Our guests sincerely needed and appreciated all of your donations. Second Harvest has products for us to order, but the items on our website are rarely on the list.

We still need the items on our website to fill the new pantry. Donations are still being accepted.

Your monetary donations should be payable to WCHI and in the memo section, please write food pantry. The food donations can also be delivered to my office at 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall, 18052.

For the items needed, visit our website, whitehallcoplayhungerinitiative.org. Please call me with any questions.