Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative is pleased to announce, by the end of April, we have been providing our Whitehall-Coplay low-income residents indoor food pantry distributions for a full year. Time sure does fly!

Our selfless volunteers prepacked all our food distribution items January 2021 through April 2022. We had multiple tables outside in the St. John the Baptist parking lot, with each table offering a different food type or toiletry items on our distribution days.

Two lines of cars came through the parking lot for both our morning and evening distributions. Every guest received the same bagged items throughout the whole production line.

WCHI opened our inside food pantry distributions May 12, 2022. Second Harvest Food Bank is affiliated with 40 food pantries in Lehigh County and more than 200 pantries in a six-county area. Second Harvest designated WCHI to be one of three pantries in Lehigh County to be classified as a healthy choice food pantry, which includes providing guests with choices of low-salt and low-sugar items.

On distribution days, our guests have scheduled appointments. Volunteers register each household. Our volunteers then walk our guests through the pantry with a shopping cart - just like they are in a grocery store.

The guests select their food items, and their bagged items are then placed into our guest’s car.

The number of items provided is based on the total number of people living in the household. Each household can select from canned fruit and vegetables; protein like canned tuna, chicken, salmon, beans and peanut butter; rice and pasta; ready-to-eat foods like Chef Boyardee; cereal; grains; condiments; coffee; snacks; baby food; refrigerated food like milk, eggs and cheese; frozen food; fresh produce; and personal hygiene products. Sometimes, we have dog and cat food.

All items are while they are available and while supplies last.

WCHI’s mission is to alleviate food insecurity in Whitehall and Coplay. Truly, many people who live in our area are hungry and some have little or no food. I have witnessed this myself.

Note our 2023 first-quarter pantry attendance below. We are feeding almost 1,000 people a month. No one should be hungry or be without food. If you or someone you know needs food, call 484-225-0358 to schedule an appointment. Please help us help them.

The WCHI food pantry attendance for 2023 includes:

• January: total households, 251; children ages 0-17, 351; adults ages 18-59, 420; seniors ages 60 and up, 195; total people, 966; and new households, 17.

• February: total households, 249; children ages 0-17, 304; adults ages 18-59, 410; seniors ages 60 and up, 180; total people, 894; and new households, 22.

• March: total households, 265; children ages 0-17, 349; adults ages 18-59, 445; seniors ages 60 and up, 196; total people, 990; and new households, 21.

We need the following food items: canned peaches, chickpeas and tuna; bagged rice or rice sides; and boxed macaroni and cheese and pasta. Food can be dropped off or shipped to my Re/Max Unlimited Real Estate office, 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall, 18052.

Donations can be dropped off 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Our office staff no longer works the weekends.

Monetary donations are also appreciated. Checks can be made payable to WCHI and can be dropped off or mailed to Shari Noctor at the Re/Max Unlimited address.