With summer in full swing and August just two short days away, many families in the Lehigh Valley are taking vacations, having barbecues and starting back-to-school shopping.

Other families, however, are struggling just to put some food on the table, and shopping for school supplies may be outside their reach.

Thanks to the dedicated members of the Allentown West-Western Lehigh County Club, the associated student Interact Clubs; volunteers with the Christ's Church at Lowhill Food Pantry, 4695 Lowhill Church Road, Lowhill Township, and Ebenezer United Church of Christ, some of these financial challenges may be eased for parents and children within the Parkland and Northwestern Lehigh school districts.

According to Rotarian Gloria Zimmerman, the Rotary Snack Pack Connection program, which provides weekend snacks for students in need, was started at Parkland in March 2013.

During the 2013-14 school year, the Rotarians and Interact students filled 560 Snack Packs. They filled 1,444 Snack Packs in the 2014-15 school year.

At Northwestern Lehigh, volunteers include Rotarians, Interact students from Northwestern, C.O.O.L. Kidz from New Life Lutheran Church and representatives from the Christ's Church at Lowhill Food Pantry.

The Rotary Snack Pack Connection program started, in partnership with the Christ's Church at Lowhill Food Pantry, at Northwestern Lehigh in October 2013.

Together, the groups distributed 722 Snack Packs for the 2013-14 school year, and 1,166 Snack Packs for the 2014-15 school year.

Ebenezer UCC, Route 143, New Tripoli, offers free clothing to all families, regardless of need, in all sizes, 6-8 p.m. on the second Thursday and from 8 a.m.-noon on the second Saturday of each month.

Parents are invited to shop for clothing for themselves and for school clothes for their children.

More information is available by calling the church at 610-298-8000.

Christ's Church at Lowhill Food Pantry, 4695 Lowhill Church Road, in preparation for the 2015-16 school year, is collecting backpacks and school supplies.

Backpacks, pencil pouches, regular and colored pencils, markers, crayons, glue sticks, binders and tab dividers are also needed.

School supplies can be dropped off at both branches of New Tripoli Bank and Essa Bank.

Donations may also be made by appointment by calling 610-298-2054 or Nancy Holbrook at 610-674-2440.

I encourage anyone who can help these more than deserving volunteer groups, either with their time filling Snack Packs during the school year or by donating supplies or money, to contact the food pantry or a Rotarian.

For parents who are wondering how to provide many of the items needed by the children for the start of the new school year, I urge them to contact the schools regarding the Snack Pack program, visit Ebenezer Church for clothing and call the food pantry for both food and school supplies.

I ask all those in the community who can to help their neighbors who cannot.

Deb Palmieri

editor

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press