I want to talk about our 2023 Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative Food Pantry attendance and the guests we serve. This is just a snapshot of three months this year. August numbers are not completed as of press time.

Youth ages 0-17: January, 351; April, 347; July 356

Adults ages 18-59: January, 420; April, 453; July, 433

Seniors ages 60 and older: January, 195; April, 192; July, 190

Total people served: January, 966; April, 992; July, 979

Food items (five meals per person): January, 4,830; April, 4,960; July, 4,895

Total households: January, 251; April, 260; July, 251

New household registrations: January, 17; April, 13; July, 13

Please take notice of the number of children, adults and seniors we help monthly. We are feeding almost 1,000 guests a month. Guests do not come every month for a myriad of reasons: illness, no transportation, changes to work schedules, obtained a new job, etc. We would serve well over 1,200 people if every registered guest would attend every month.

Our mission is to alleviate food insecurity in Whitehall Township and Coplay Borough. We feel we do a great job but can always improve. WCHI is pleased to consistently register new food-insecure households monthly. We are here to help. Please, if you know anyone who needs food in Whitehall or Coplay, tell them to call us at 484-225-0358 to schedule a pantry appointment. We are open the second and third Thursdays of every month 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4:30-7 p.m. We promptly close the doors 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Many households do not have transportation. One guest rides a bike 1 mile to our pantry and is extremely limited on what he can bring home. If you have a neighbor, friend or family member who does not have transportation, can you please make the time to bring them, or if you know or suspect someone needs food, can you offer to help them? Food insecurity is blind. Not many people will raise their hand and say, “I am hungry” or “Can you help me?” Many people do not want people to know their situation, are afraid what someone will think about them or are ashamed to ask for help.

No one should be hungry in this country, and no one should be hungry here in Whitehall and Coplay. Besides our WCHI Food Pantry, guests can also attend Whitehall Food Pantry at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 3900 Mechanicsville Road, Whitehall. The pantry is open 6-8 p.m. Mondays by appointment. Call 484-246-5715. Also, for Coplay residents, Coplay Food Bank at Coplay Borough Hall, 98 S. Fourth St., is open 8:30-10 a.m. the second Tuesday of every month. Call Jodi at 610-262-0928.

Second Harvest Food Bank is a major source of our pantry food but has been having low inventory for several months now. Second Harvest provides food to 200 agencies in six counties. WCHI provides food for each of our guests to have meals for five days. WCHI relies on the public to donate needed food items. Some of our guests like to prepare cooked meals, and others like to have ready-to-eat food like tuna, soup, canned ravioli, etc. WCHI appreciates all donations from individuals or planned food drives.

We request the following items: boxes of oatmeal, boxed potatoes, canned fruit (low sugar or light fruit syrup), canned tuna, cereal, condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard), macaroni and cheese, jelly, pancake mix, syrup, pasta (elbow, spaghetti, rigatoni, rotini, shells, etc.), rice (1-pound bagged brown or white), ready-to-eat items (canned ravioli, SpaghettiOs, etc.), soups (creamed, chunky, chicken noodle, tomato, vegetable, etc.), spaghetti sauce and stuffing mix. All food items can be store brands.

These food items can be shipped to or dropped off at my Re/Max Unlimited office, 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall, 18052, 8:30-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The office is closed Saturdays and Sundays.

Thank you, and have a great week!