BY SHARI NOCTOR

Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative president

All our Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative teammates and volunteers understand the important work we are doing to help alleviate food insecurity for people living in Whitehall-Coplay School District. Though hunger unfortunately will always be with us, our community is showing compassion and generosity in helping our neighbors in need.

WCHI and our guests are truly thankful.

We understand the added stresses of worrying about paying higher rents or real estate taxes, utility bills, especially with this winter’s multiple snow, ice and low temperatures, along with continued rising food and gas prices.

Many of our pantry guests are working two and three jobs to make ends meet, and our seniors have fixed incomes.

I know from my years sitting on the Lehigh Valley Food Policy Council Food Access Committee, Communities that Care coalition through the WCSD and working with United Way, Meals on Wheels and Second Harvest Food Bank, many people still worry where their next meal is coming from. Many households do not always have three meals a day, and many times, the food they purchase is relatively cheap and contains higher sugar and salt contents.

WCHI is fortunate to have a garden team with garden chair Gwen Herzog and our Healthy Pantry Initiative team with HPI chair Jenn Dietz. They each write monthly articles on the benefits of fresh vegetables and healthy eating.

A huge thank you also goes out to the many residents and student volunteers who enjoy donating their time and talents by working with WCHI and our pantry guests. I also want to acknowledge and thank all the groups that recently donated 8,185 pounds of much-needed food, toiletries and pet food to WCHI during January and February.

The groups listed in this column also include personal food donors who did not want to their names published.

These donors include unknown, wonderful angels who deliver food for WCHI at the RE/MAX Unlimited office, 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall.

• Businesses: public donation collections at Coplay Eatery and the Walnutport Giant Food Store; The Center for Animal Health and Welfare, Easton; UTZ Snacks; and Whitehall Wawa

• Churches: First Presbyterian Church of Hokendauqua, Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, St. Peter Roman Catholic Church and St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Orefield

• Organizations: Feed the Children; Taylor Villas Subdivision, Whitehall; WCHI’s bingo players

• Schools: St. Elizabeth Regional School, Steckel Elementary School and Zephyr Elementary School

WCHI also thanks our monetary donors.

Our WCHI food pantry currently needs canned fruit in light syrup; chicken noodle and other canned soups; light and dark canned kidney, chickpeas and pinto beans; low-sugar cereal; instant oatmeal; and pancake mix.

Thank you all again, and have a great week!