The next Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative Food Pantry distribution is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 10 at the St. John the Baptist Church parking lot, 3024 S. Ruch St., Whitehall.

WCHI is holding bingo Feb. 13 at Commitment to Family and Community, 165 Cherry St., Coplay. Doors open 1 p.m., and bingo starts 2 p.m. We play boards and paper specials. Face masks are required unless you are on oxygen.

For more information, call Liz at 484-274-6687.

This week’s food pantry and Snack Pack Pals needs include oatmeal packets, boxes of 6-10 packets; granola/cereal bars, 5-10 bars per box; and Sam’s Club-brand fruit cups of diced peaches or Mandarin oranges. We ask for Sam’s Club fruit cups because they provide the best nutritional value and allow us to easily label each serving with ingredients and allergen information to the ensure safety of our students.

I wanted to talk about another food nonprofit - Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley. In talking with Victoria Coyle, chief executive officer, more and more seniors who have had family members or friends shop for them are falling into a void now because people are still afraid to go out due to COVID-19.

Meals on Wheels has fresh meals available to people in need. They prioritize people who are homebound and unable to prepare healthy meals due to age or health condition.

If someone qualifies for the service, Meals on Wheels can add them to the delivery routes. It currently delivers to eight Coplay and 25 Whitehall residents. Meals are delivered 10:30 a.m.-noon Monday through Friday by volunteers.

All meals are heart healthy and meet the state guidelines for senior nutritional requirements. The meals can be medically tailored to assist with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease or difficulty with chewing and swallowing.

It takes about one week for an intake to be conducted before meal delivery starts. There is a sliding fee scale for meal fees.

Have the senior or family member call Meals on Wheels at 610-691-1030.

Here is some information from the Meals on Wheels website, mowglv.org/faqs. I am putting this in the article because not everyone has computer access or wireless Internet. These are questions and answers on their frequently asked questions page.

Who is eligible to receive Meals on Wheels? Eligibility is determined by need. Clients must be over the age of 18; be homebound and unable to prepare meals; be unable to meet basic nutritional needs, either temporarily or permanently; have no reliable options for nutritious daily meals; and reside in Lehigh or Northampton counties.

I have a family member in need of meal deliveries. They live with another family member who does not prepare meals. Do they still qualify? Yes, if the person in need of meals is unable to prepare meals while the other family member is not home.

Can I sign my family member up for meal delivery? Of course! We receive referrals from any number of sources. The person you are referring for meals must agree to the service before we follow up to determine eligibility.

Please let people know about the service. Meals on Wheels is here to help those in need and has done a fantastic job with helping homebound adults. The organization is feeding more people than ever.

Thank you, all, for making a difference in people’s lives. We are all here to help our community.

Have a great week!