Linda Pinto and helpers deliver flowers and vegetables from the Milford Garden Club (Photo provided)
Volunteer Fabrisa Gallagher leads the “box brigade” (Photo provided)
Volunteer Verne Kreger (back to camera) loads groceries into client’s car (Photo provided)
New volunteer James Gallagher gets his first workout (Photo provided)
Jodi Hancock of Milford, a student in the University of Colorado’s Masters in Public Administration program, inquired about doing her capstone project, similar to a master's thesis, at the pantry. She will focus her research on the challenge of reaching people facing food insecurity in rural areas. After discussions with Nancy Potter, director, and Pat Moulton, volunteer and former community health nursing educator, the pantry’s response was an enthusiastic “yes." The results of Hancock's research will help the pantry connect with more local residents facing hunger. (Photo provided)
Ryan Conklin (left) learns the ropes from Ed Gragert (Photo provided)
Unloading a delivery from the food bank (Photo provided)
Six months into this pandemic, the Pike County Ecumenical Food Pantry is still serving every week, thanks to the wonderful support of our community.
Last month alone we provided supplemental groceries for 211 family visits, which covered 303 adults, 222 children, and 108 seniors. Each family received milk, meat and poultry, fresh eggs,vegetables, and fruit in addition to shelf-stable groceries.
The food we distribute comes from a variety of sources and represents our greatest expense.We offset this expense by obtaining food from various programs and organizations at little or no cost. Specifically, we want to extend a special thank you to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley and Northeast PA for the support they have given us and the other 200 partners they serve in a six-county area. Second Harvest has always been a key ally for our pantry, but during these pandemic months, they’ve really stepped up and done even more to help make our work possible.
Dave Cool, Second Harvest’s agency relations coordinator, and his team have been working tirelessly to coordinate monthly deliveries to pantries, arrange generous supplemental distributions, and provide pantries with time sensitive information about available food from various government sources. We, in turn, have made last-minute requests of volunteers to drive down to Second Harvest (65 miles away in Nazareth, Pa.) to pick up special loads of food and supplies that have become unexpectedly available. We have received hams and other meats,vegetables, and staples — often at no cost — and we’ve gotten another huge assist in the form of the hundreds of empty cardboard cartons that we use each week to pack our distributions.
In addition, we benefited from the special Farmers to Families Food Box Program that Dave Cool coordinated along with the traditional USDA and Pennsylvania sponsored programs. All this is possible because of the dedication and effort of the folks at Second Harvest. Thank you, Second Harvest. Their mission statement says it all: “Serving our neighbors in need because everyone should have enough to eat.”
Pike County Ecumenical Food Pantry
Milford
Thoughts from our clients during the pandemic include:
“Thank you very much for our delivery today. It will be gobbled up!! You are truly a Godsend! I’m not terrified anymore and knowing I can count on these delivered items has changed our life. Thank you. May God bless all your efforts!”
“Prayer, right now I just have to give it up each night to prayer.”