Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative is part of the Pennsylvania Healthy Food Pantry Initiative, as mentioned in previous newspaper articles.

We strive to improve our pantry food choices by offering low- or no-salt and low-sugar food items, when possible. We work closely with Second Harvest Food Bank HPI Coordinator Kim Slack on a variety of healthy goals, including food tastings and recipes during distribution days.

WCHI is also partnering with Penn State Extension Lehigh County to provide the free Nutrition Links program to our pantry guests and others who qualify for the program. Julie Davitt, who is a nutrition education adviser for Penn State and a WCHI board member, will be teaching upcoming food education classes.

The Nutrition Links classes will be offered this summer and in October in the morning for 1.5 hours each for four consecutive weeks. The location will be in the white social building behind our pantry at the end of the church parking lot.

More information will be posted on our Facebook page and on our website at tinyurl.com/WCHIprograms in the coming weeks.

This information comes directly from extension.psu.edu/nutrition-links.

“Participants in this free program complete in-person lessons featuring healthy eating tips on smart shopping, food preparation and delicious recipes, as well as food safety lessons. Classes include hands-on activities and cooking demonstrations to reinforce the learning process.

“Our evaluation data demonstrates the effectiveness of the program’s impact on participants’ behaviors in food selection, dietary intake, management of resources and food safety.

“Participants are taught how to make positive changes to achieve good nutrition and health: control portion sizes, practice food resource management skills, practice food safety in preparation, practice safe storage and handling of food and increase physical activity. Ninety-three percent of participants made positive dietary changes, and 78% of participants showed improvement in food resource management practices.

“Nutrition Links provides research-based nutrition education to help people and families with limited resources enhance their nutrition, increase their physical activity and develop life skills needed for self-sufficiency and better health. Our classes are a very rewarding experience for everyone, impacting the health and well-being of the entire family.

“We partner with many agencies in the community to enhance the services offered and reach the limited-resource audience. Nutrition Links is federally funded and supported by local resources/dollars. Funds come from the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.

“Nutrition Links programs are for families with young children (under the age of 19) living in either rural or urban areas who are responsible for the planning, purchasing and preparing of the family’s food, pregnant women, pregnant and parenting teens, school-age youth (5-19 years of age) and preschoolers and their parents.”

For more information, contact Davitt at jbd14@psu.edu.

Thank you, and have a great week!