This article is on some of our Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative programs: cash bingos, free community meals, choice food pantry and senior boxes.

A huge thank you goes out to all our dedicated volunteers who make all our programs run effortlessly.

WCHI will be hosting a cash bingo Oct. 9 at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, 4 S. Fifth St., Coplay. Doors will open 1 p.m., and bingo starts 2 p.m.

St. Peter’s kitchen will be open with fabulous food available for purchase. Please bring a food item for our food pantry. A list of needed items are at the end of this article.

The $15 entry fee buys you two bingo boards with four games. Each additional board is $1 each, and a pack of five paper specials are $5. We play 15 board games and five paper specials. Bingo chips and dabbers are available for purchase.

Cash bingos usually run the first Sunday of the month. Bingo will also be held Nov. 6 and Jan. 15, 2023. There is no bingo in December.

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

WCHI will be holding a public meeting 11 a.m. Oct. 18 at our pantry, 3024 S. Ruch St., Whitehall, for faith-based organizations and other businesses who wish to host a free community meal in 2023.

The meals are held 4-6:30 p.m. the first Sunday and the third Tuesday of the month and are guaranteed for the first 100 guests.

The host site decides on the food it wishes to serve, provides the food and prepares and serves the meal. Before COVID-19, all the meals were served inside the host location.

We are starting to get back to inside sit-down meals, though takeout meals are up to the individual host site.

WCHI has been providing these free meals since 2015. Our low-income community looks forward to these meals for both a hot, delicious meal, but more importantly, for the socialization of meeting with new and old friends.

We serve all age groups. Many seniors get dressed up and view these meals as a special night out.

Thank you to both Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley, 1988 Schadt Ave., Whitehall, which hosted a meal Oct. 2, and to Redeemed Christian Church of God, 5 N. Third St., Coplay, which will be hosting the next one Oct. 18.

For more information, call Karen Haberern, program chair, at 610-730-3184.

The WCHI choice food pantry is located at St. John the Baptist Church complex, in the Christ the King School, 3024 S. Ruch St., Whitehall.

The choice pantry is open 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4:30-7 p.m. the second and third Thursdays of the month. This is by appointment only, and we close promptly 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Income limits apply, and proof of residency is required.

Call 484-225-0358 for more information and to schedule your October appointment.

Senior boxes are available to our pantry guests age 60 and older who qualify for an additional 35-pound food box, which includes nonfat dry and shelf-stable fluid milk, juice, oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, dry beans, peanut butter, canned meat, poultry or fish and canned fruits and vegetables.

Income limits are lower than pantry food limits. If you financially qualify for a senior box, the paperwork will be completed during your pantry visit. Once you are approved for the program, your senior box will be delivered to your home the following month.

For more information, call Gail, program chair, at 610-351-6412.

Needed pantry food items include canned pasta, such as Chef Boyardee, Beefaroni and ravioli; canned soups, other than cream of mushroom, cream of chicken and vegetable; canned beans, such as black, Lima, lentils, chickpeas, kidney, string beans, etc.; condiments, such as ketchup, mustard and relish; ground coffee; Hamburger Helper; boxes of macaroni and cheese; boxes of oatmeal packets; pancake mix; syrup; bags and boxes of rice; plain or flavored rice or pasta sides, such as Knorr pasta or rice packets; and canned or plastic jars of tomato/spaghetti sauce.

We are also starting to collect food items for Thanksgiving, such as boxed mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and Stove Top stuffing.

All product and monetary donations are appreciated and may be dropped off, mailed or shipped to WCHI, c/o Shari Noctor, at Re/Max Unlimited Real Estate, 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall, 18052. The office is open 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays.

Thank you, and have a great week!