I wanted to write this week’s article on volunteerism. A heartfelt thank you is extended to every one of our selfless volunteers, who help in so many ways to feed food-insecure residents of Whitehall Township and Coplay Borough.

I also want to thank the volunteers who are not normally scheduled for distribution days but helped while others were on vacation this summer. With everyone’s time and talents, our Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative volunteers are feeding almost 1,000 residents a month.

As our pantry guest attendance continues to grow, we truly need many more volunteers to help WCHI behind the scenes and during pantry day distributions.

There are a lot of behind-the-scenes activities that occur throughout the month, such as ordering and picking up food from Second Harvest Food Bank, purchasing food and toiletries from several local stores and loading our vehicles with the products and bringing them back to the pantry.

The items are unloaded from vehicles and loaded on rolling racks before being distributed to their appropriate places within the pantry. These items are loaded onto skids or rolling racks and marked state and USDA food or general donations from the public. The inventory is stocked on appropriate racks for our pantry guests to choose from during distribution days.

On distribution days, our volunteers welcome our guests as they arrive, register the guests, help guests shop throughout the pantry and unload the bagged or boxed foods from the shopping carts into the guests’ cars.

Some volunteers provide fresh produce from our garden, along with any produce available from both Second Harvest Food Bank and grown by Whitehall and Coplay residents in their personal gardens. They also provide dog and cat food when available.

WCHI is extremely fortunate to have dedicated volunteers. Some are retired, some work and help when they can, and others work during the day and help in the evening on distribution days. We have teachers and others from several school districts who help during the summer while school is closed. Several volunteers are students, aged 12-17. Some of our pantry guests are working on their clearances to help us as well.

“Volunteering is important for many reasons, including stress reduction, combating depression and providing a sense of purpose. It offers essential help to worthwhile causes, people in need and the wider community. Volunteerism is also important because it helps eliminate poverty and improve basic health and education,” Calvin Holbrook writes (tinyurl.com/5dyk8xsu).

WCHI is a 100% volunteer-based 501(c)3 nonprofit charity. No one receives a salary. Can you or someone you know volunteer with us? You will love your fellow volunteers.

Because we do work with children, we are all required by the state to obtain full child abuse clearances. Go to tinyurl.com/32cndjdw to find out more. Do not let the list intimidate you. Many are read and sign forms. We do reimburse for fingerprinting.

I have completed the clearances in less than two weeks, and I have a full-time job. There is no time frame limit for completion, but all clearances must be received, so we can email you volunteer opportunities. Once we have everything, the clearances are good for five years.

Students 12-17 years old just need to read and sign a code of conduct form and a WCHI form signed by a parent. WCHI also has school clubs help us. We sign school forms for community service hours.

Email Sylvia Lee, volunteer chair, at volunteerme.lee@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

WCHI needs the following food items: boxed pasta; macaroni and cheese; chicken noodle, tomato and vegetable soups; and low-salt canned mixed vegetables. Fresh produce from your personal gardens is also appreciated.

These items can be dropped off or shipped to Shari Noctor, Re/Max Unlimited, 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall, 18052. The office is open for deliveries 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and is closed on the weekends.

Thank you, and have a great week!