Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative is excited to finally provide inside food distributions for our pantry guests. They will now be able to choose the foods they will eat from our inventory.

We are not a food store and are limited with food items that we can provide. Previously, we had pre-bagged food items, and everyone received the same food. Guests will now have a larger choice of food.

Our first inside distribution occurs May 12. I will have an update for you in next week’s article.

Our next free community meal is 4-6:30 p.m. May 17, hosted by volunteers at Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church, 3300 Seventh St. They are providing a delicious hot meal, and guests can either eat inside or grab food for takeout.

Meals are guaranteed for the first 100 guests. Once the food has been given out, the doors will be closed.

For more information, call the church at 610-434-8861 or Karen Haberern, free community meal chair, at 610-730-3184.

WCHI is pleased to have wonderful volunteers to plant and maintain our vegetable raised beds at our garden at the Mickley-Prydun Farm. We have a few raised beds still available for volunteers to cultivate.

WCHI provides everything. We just need a couple more gardeners to help with a bed or two. These come in varying sizes.

The grown vegetables are given to the children attending our summer feeding program. When the children return to school Aug. 29, the vegetables are given to our pantry guests until the end of the growing season in October. If you are interested or have questions, call 484-225-0358.

WCHI provides this children’s summer feeding program for Whitehall and Coplay low-income residents only, and there are income limit requirements. A valid driver’s license or utility bill is required to register. The parent must register the children.

The program will run 10-11 a.m. every Monday and Wednesday from June 15 to Aug. 24. Once registered, the children or parent may pick up the food.

If the parent is working during the 10-11 a.m. Monday and Wednesday food distribution time, WCHI will accommodate you by providing the parent with the five bags of food per child at the food pantry, 3024 S. Ruch St., Whitehall, in the parking lot by our shed 6-7 p.m. Wednesday evenings during the program.

This year’s program highlights include providing shelf-stable food for five breakfasts and lunches. This will be a drop-and-go food distribution.

On Mondays, every child will receive shelf-stable food for a breakfast and a lunch for Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesdays, each child will receive shelf-stable food for breakfast and lunch for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

WCHI will also provide children with free books all summer, Christmas in July presents and free filled backpacks for school in August.

We have four locations this year for the children’s summer program. We would like as many parents as possible to preregister, as it reminds the households this program will be held again this summer, and it lets us know how many bags to prepack for each site.

These four sites are at the same locations as last year. The Egypt and Cementon sites were not utilized enough last year to keep them open again this year. Register at the site closest to your home’s location and note the preregistration days and times.

• 5-7 p.m. May 17, Mickley Run Apartments, Whitehall, parking lot closest to the 350 building off Overlook Road

• 5-7 p.m. May 19, Redeemed Christian Church of God, 5 N. Third St., Coplay

• 5-7 p.m. May 19, Maryland Circle Apartments, 1 Maryland Circle, Whitehall

• 11 a.m.-1 p.m. May 21, St. John’s Lutheran Church, 835 N. Third St., Whitehall

If you have questions, call Sue Butchinski, children’s summer feeding program chair, at 484-767-6022.

Have a great week!