This article is to explain our grand opening procedures for the inside pantry guest food distribution 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. May 12.

A scheduled appointment is now required. If you need an appointment, call 484-225-0358.

Both our pantry guests and volunteers will take part in a totally new and exciting shopping experience. These are our procedures.

• Drive into the church parking lot as you normally do. For new guests, from 3024 S. Ruch St., at St. John the Baptist Church, turn onto Park Street and come into our parking lot. A volunteer greeter will direct you to park behind the rectory. Remain in your car until 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment.

• You will walk down the driveway between the house and the shed. Just past the school windows, come in the first door on the left. Come down the steps and turn right into our pantry. Another volunteer greeter will direct you.

• Register inside with a volunteer. We will give you a numbered card, and you will sit in our waiting area.

• A volunteer will call your number, give you a grocery cart and write the number on your card. The volunteer will accompany you throughout our pantry to do your “shopping.” A choice pantry means each household can choose the items. We are no longer pre-bagging food for distribution. The volunteer will move the item from the shelf into your cart.

Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative is not a grocery store, and we have limited inventory.

Based on your household size, you will be selecting items you will eat in the following food types and available inventory. This gives you an idea but is not the complete list of food that may be available: canned fruits such as diced pears, sliced peaches and mango chunks; canned vegetables such as green beans, sliced carrots and diced tomatoes; canned protein such as tuna, chicken, beans and peanut butter; grains such as rice, spaghetti, couscous, macaroni and cheese, pancake mix and cereal; canned ready-to-eat beef stew and soup; snacks such as cookies, crackers and raisins; beverages such as coffee, tea, shelf-stable milk and juice boxes; condiments such as salad dressing, jelly and pancake syrup; health and beauty products like toilet paper and tissues; and whatever frozen and refrigerated food is available.

• When finished shopping, the guest will go out the door they came into the pantry and go up the steps to the driveway. A volunteer will go out a different door with the shopping cart and meet the guest back outside at the guest entry door. You will verify the number on the cart and the volunteer will walk with you to the end of the driveway to pick up your produce box. Then the volunteer will help you load the items into your car. If you don’t have a dog or cat, then the guest leaves to the right of the parking lot by the white building.

• If you have a dog or cat, after your car has been loaded with your food items, you will drive to the specified pet location, and a volunteer will put the animal food in your car. Then you also will leave to the right of the parking lot by the white building.

WCHI is so excited to be able to provide our guests with the opportunity to select the food choices they will eat. We have tried to plan this new food disbursement operation the best we can. Since this is our first time providing food this way, be patient with us if we need a few more minutes to complete the pantry walk-through process.

Call 484-225-0358 to register for an appointment or to ask any questions.

Thank you, and have a great week!