Since its creation in 2015, Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative has monitored trends impacting the community, economic policies, demographic changes and program funding opportunities to achieve our mission to alleviate food insecurity in Whitehall and Coplay.

Many Whitehall and Coplay residents have difficulty understanding many of our neighbors are in need of food. The WCHI Food Pantry, at 3024 S. Ruch St., distributed food to 966 individuals during the month of January.

This number includes not only distributions during the scheduled bimonthly food distributions, but also emergency food for families who are running out of food. We registered 17 new households. WCHI is the source for emergency food. Call 484-225-0358.

Many people cannot believe close to 1,000 Whitehall-Coplay residents need supplemental food for their households. Let me assure you - this need for basic food is real, and it will get worse before it gets better.

We do have many low-income residents in all areas of Whitehall and Coplay. Things happen in people’s lives. Pantry guests share financial challenges that are related to the increased cost of rent, gas, utilities, food, medications, health care, job loss and cost of living increases in all areas. Many times, there is just not enough money remaining monthly to purchase food for the household.

As economic challenges accelerated, WCHI reorganized its programs to best meet the needs of our community. WCHI was selected as one of three pantries in Lehigh County by Second Harvest Food Bank to be part of a healthy pantry initiative.

The emphasis is to provide healthier food choices by providing food products with lower sugar and salt. Under the guidance of Second Harvest, our pantry has been able to provide an increased volume of food to each household.

WCHI also is a choice pantry, where the food in our pantry is displayed by food groups, like a grocery store. Guests now select their food based on their preferences, compared to when WCHI prepared pre-bagged food. Everyone received the same bagged food items when we were doing outside distributions through April 2022.

Another initiative WCHI focused on is providing healthy food to an increased number of children. To consolidate initiatives toward this goal, the Snack Pack Pals Program and the children’s summer feeding program are now incorporated into our bimonthly food pantry distributions. During our January 2023 distribution, 351 children received food. The number of children served each month has doubled from our other two previous children’s programs.

The food has more nutritional value and is of greater quantity. In addition, all low-income children through age 17 in Whitehall and Coplay can receive supplemental food, including children who are home schooled or attend charter or private schools.

We know if the children within a household are food insecure, the additional household members will also need food. This is another reason for incorporating the previous two children’s programs into the food pantry program. There were 420 adults - ages 18-59 - who were given food in January from WCHI.

Many people are not aware a food pantry supplies only several days’ worth of food for a household, not a month’s worth of food. Pantries are not grocery stores with tons of inventory.

WCHI also provides information on additional food resources, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Pennsylvania Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

WCHI worked with Second Harvest in the fall to initiate the senior food box program at our pantry. After approved with verified income limit eligibility for the program, seniors ages 60-plus are provided with an additional 35 pounds of shelf-stable food during their pantry visit. There were 195 seniors who attended our food pantry in January.

Of the 195 seniors who attended our food pantry, 38 qualified seniors also took home their senior box. Income limits to qualify are much lower than pantry income limits. Both are set by the government.

Due to supply shortages, increased food costs and other causes, Second Harvest has experienced a decrease in available pantry inventory. WCHI Food Pantry receives 90% of our food products from Second Harvest.

WCHI is very fortunate and grateful to have dedicated Whitehall-Coplay residents, organizations and businesses that have provided funds and food products to fill the deficit in our inventory.

In 2022, WCHI purchased $8,612 in food for the pantry. Due to today’s economy, WCHI spent more than $1,800 for food the first six weeks of 2023 - almost 21% of what we spent for the entire last year.

Thank you again to Second Harvest, Lehigh County, all the residents, organizations and businesses that support WCHI. We could not help so many residents without you!