I want to talk about our Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative free community meals — the very first program I started for WCHI.

My church in Palmerton has been doing free monthly meals since 1976, so I knew how to offer them. Since 2016, the Whitehall and Coplay faith-based community and others have been proud to work with WCHI to provide these meals to low-income Whitehall-Coplay School District residents. At first, they were offered once a month. However, there is such a need for both food and social companionship, we started offering them twice a month.

All age groups are welcome to attend both meals 4-6 p.m. the first Sunday and the third Tuesday of the month.

On Facebook and Instagram, WCHI posts a reminder, what will be served, the end time if before 6 p.m. and if it is a sit-down or take-out meal or a version of both.

I want to list all our meal partners and publicly thank them for taking their time to prepare and serve these meals. Below, our partners are listed in alphabetical order, and in parenthesis are the number of times they hosted or will host a meal in 2025.

• Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Whitehall (2)

• First Presbyterian of Hokendauqua served its meal at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, both Whitehall. (1)

• Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley, Whitehall (4)

• Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Whitehall (2)

• St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Church, Whitehall (2)

• St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Whitehall (2)

• St. John’s Lutheran Church, Coplay (1)

• St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Whitehall (1)

• St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, Coplay (2)

• Whitehall Active Community Center (2)

• Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church (4)

• Wawa, Whitehall (1)

Note: Whitehall Active Community Center was set to do its second meal May 20. Close to this date, WACC was designated a political voting location, and the meal had to be canceled.

WCHI also has partnerships with local restaurants that will provide the main meal for WCHI. Coplay Eatery provided the meal First Presbyterian of Hokendauqua served Sept. 16. Wawa provided and served the meal at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Oct. 21. Samuel Owens Restaurant and Bar is providing the meal at St. John’s Lutheran Church Nov. 18.

From January through September 2025, WCHI, through our meal partners, provided 1,243 meals to 883 Whitehall and Coplay households. Just like our pantry attendance, some guests come to every meal and some come when they can.

We are very appreciative of all our community partners who provide these meals and to all our guests who attend them. Thank you, everyone!

If anyone has questions about our free community meals or would like to host one for 2026, call program chair Karen Haberern at 610-730-3184.