With year-over-year inflation topping 3.25 percent in March and April, some Lehigh Valley residents are finding it an increasing challenge to make ends meet. Add in periodic government shutdowns that pause Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments, and the picture becomes even darker.

That’s where neighbors are stepping up to help, with monetary gifts, gifts-in-kind, and their own time and effort. Here, local charitable organizations involved in feeding hungry residents share the best ways that people can help their neighbors bridge the gap.

Places to give time and effort

Within the Bethlehem Area SD, both Fountain Hill ES and Marvine ES operate fully state-recognized food pantries that provide consistent access to food and essential resources for families. “In addition,” Supervisor of Equity Initiatives Eric Fontanez explains, “all BASD schools maintain some form of shelving or resource areas to support students and families in need.” Fontanez is the point of contact <efontanez@basdschools.org> for people interested in volunteering to organize donations or support food distribution, which may require background clearances because the pantries are housed in school buildings.

Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering began in 2009, explains Director Brian Sweeney, “when one of our street neighbors ended up freezing to death overnight, and a group of churches got together and decided they weren’t going to let that happen again.” Churches took turns providing overnight shelter to homeless individuals. In 2017, BES secured a permanent location at Christ Church, United Church of Christ (75 East Market St. in Bethlehem), where it provides overnight shelter during the coldest months of the year (November to April). BES volunteers serve hot dinners at the shelter, as well as distributing bagged lunches to those in need from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Bernadette Wean describes the bagged lunch volunteers: “The lunches are donated by churches, work and social groups, or individuals. There really are no physical limitations for anyone to volunteer.”

Sweeney notes that opportunities to help extend beyond the food program: “You don’t have to be part of a church or part of an organization. It’s a lot more than bagged lunches and serving food. Our property team is volunteer-based. Our communication team and fundraising team are volunteer-based.” To get involved, individuals can work with their own faith or social group, or contact Maria Shior, director of volunteers, at 484-602-5505. More information is available online <https://bethlehememergencysheltering.org/volunteer-opportunities/> and on the BES Facebook page <https://www.facebook.com/BethlehemEmergencyShelterin>. [Note that there is no final “g” in “Sheltering” in the Facebook URL.]

The Freezer Ministry and Garden Gatherers Inc., founded by Bob Wingrove, was profiled by Tami Quigley in the Bethlehem Press in February 2025. Among other programs, the Freezer Ministry supports Bethlehem Emergency Services and VALOR Clinic Foundation. Garden Gatherers supports 11 schools in Bethlehem, as well as single mothers and very young children (through Cay Galgon Life House), and plans to expand to 24 Allentown schools very soon. People interested in being added to the “cooks list” to prepare meals should contact Wingrove at 610-730-3929.

The Community Café Choice Pantry at 402 Chew Street in Allentown, managed by Catholic Charities, is a place where volunteers keep shelves stocked and accessible for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Volunteers help with multiple parts of the supply chain, by assisting with food pickups from churches and local businesses throughout the Lehigh Valley, organizing and stocking pantry items, and helping clients shop with dignity on Tuesday afternoons. Some roles involve standing and light lifting of up to 25 pounds, but accommodations can be made to meet individual abilities.

Catholic Charities also operates a Community Café kitchen in the parish hall of Immaculate Conception Church, 501 Ridge Avenue, Allentown, where free lunches are prepared and served to anyone in need. Meals are offered Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m. Volunteers assist with food pickups from local businesses throughout the Lehigh Valley in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank. Volunteers also support the café by managing inventory, preparing meals, serving food and beverages, and assisting with cleanup. Parking is available on-site for both programs.

Additional details about volunteer opportunities, background clearance requirements, and time commitments are available on the Catholic Charities Diocese of Allentown website catholiccharitiesad.org under the “Volunteer” section. Individuals or groups interested in learning more—including arranging a group volunteer day—may contact Community Engagement Specialist Taiba Salloum at tsalloum@allentowndiocese.org.

Central Moravian Church food pantry volunteers receive, sort, and stock donations, as well as assisting customers on distribution days (73 W. Church Street in Bethlehem). People interested in getting involved can call food pantry coordinator Janice Ostock at 610-984-7502.

Essentials Café (418 Third Avenue in Bethlehem) is a pay-what-you-wish community café serving breakfast and lunch Tuesdays through Saturdays. Volunteers are welcome to help out as greeters and servers, kitchen prep workers, and gardeners supplying the café. The café uses an online sign-up system for its volunteers; details on opportunities and a link to the portal are available at essentialscafe.org/volunteer.

To volunteer at the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley Food Pantry (520 East Fourth Street in Bethlehem), individuals and groups should contact pantry coordinator Kerine Palacios at kpalacios@hclv.org to fill out a brief application. Opportunities to help exist Monday through Friday every week. Fridays are busy, with sorting of donations from Sam’s Club and pantry restocking taking place every week; the need for volunteers is particularly great during the summer, when many college volunteers go home for the summer. The first and third Thursday of every month are also busy days, when lifting strength is particularly valuable for the sorting of boxed goods from Second Harvest. Distribution to families is by appointment, Monday through Thursday, so volunteers are needed, but they do not have to be able to do heavy lifting.

At the New Bethany food pantry, volunteers assist with distribution and organization of pantry items. Stocking shelves involves lifting food items and standing for long periods of time. At the New Bethany meal center, volunteers prepare and serve lunch. Cooking and serving also requires standing for long periods of time. A more flexible volunteer opportunity is holding a food collection drive for New Bethany’s Choice Food Pantry. Vice President of Operations Rachel Moyer can answer questions about volunteering or collecting food on behalf of New Bethany.

Northeast Community Center (1161 Fritz Drive in Bethlehem) serves the Marvine-Pembroke community through a variety of programs, as well as sharing vegetables with Essentials Café. Volunteers at the community center work in the pantry two days a week. They deliver and stock food donations from East Hills Moravian Church on Mondays; on Wednesdays they accept deliveries from Second Harvest, and sort and stock them. The volunteer roster is currently full, but donations are needed (see below).

Volunteers help Second Harvest Food Bank, in partnership with Community Action Lehigh Valley, to sort and pack donations. Second Harvest’s local office is located at 6969 Silver Crest Road in Nazareth, and the volunteer coordinator is Nicole Folino (484-821-2401).

How to donate

money and food

Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering accepts bottled water and high-protein snacks—including protein bars, peanut butter crackers, tuna snacks—at the shelter during hours it is open (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday). People wishing to donate money may contact Brian Sweeney, shelter director (484-379-6694). More information, including how to donate via Amazon wish list, is available online at bethlehememergencysheltering.org/donate.

The most secure and efficient way to make a financial donation to Catholic Charities (Diocese of Allentown) is through the “Donate” link on the website catholiccharitiesad.org, where most major credit cards are accepted. Donors may also contribute by check, mailed to: Catholic Charities Diocese of Allentown, P.O. Box 4398, Allentown, PA 18105.

Andrea Neagle of Catholic Charities notes, “The most effective way to donate gifts-in-kind is to coordinate directly with Catholic Charities in advance, so donations align with current program needs and food safety standards.” Catholic Charities regularly accepts shelf-stable food items, as well as supplies like hand carts, metal shelving units, and food-safe disposable gloves, but needs vary, and regulations about donated food are strict, so donors (individual or corporate) should contact to ensure a match between donations and needs. Details about acceptable food items and donation coordination can be obtained by contacting Regional Food & Nutrition Hub Manager Joe Favorito at jfavorito@allentowndiocese.org.

Central Moravian Church has a “Donate” page at centralmoravianchurch.org/donate, which facilitates online giving. Checks are also welcome (73 W. Church Street, Bethlehem PA 18018); donors should write “food pantry” in the memo section of the check. Gifts of food and food-related items like paper towels may be dropped off on the first Sunday of every month from 8:30 to 11 a.m. in the Christian Education parking lot shared with Moravian Academy (off New Street, next to the Kemmerer Museum).

Central Moravian Church food pantry coordinator Janice Ostock offers the following guidelines for food donations: “We prefer canned goods and other nonperishable items like coffee, tea, pasta, beans, and shelf-stable milk. Although meat, eggs, and dairy products are needed, we prefer getting them from Second Harvest or directly from the farm, to ensure they have been safely handled.”

To donate money to Essentials Café, please click the “Donate” button at the top right corner of the website essentialscafe.org. Donors may also choose to participate in the “wooden nickel” program by visiting the café (418 Third Avenue in Bethlehem) and “paying it forward” with cash or credit card; details are available online at essentialscafe.org/pay-it-forward.

Fountain Hill ES gladly accepts donations of food items, household essentials (such as paper products and hygiene items), and clothing. Interested parties should reach out to Community School Coordinator Jonathan Vargas <Jvargas@basdschools.org> for details on how to make a donation.

The Freezer Ministry and Garden Gatherers Inc. receives food from Second Harvest, and supplements it with purchased ingredients. Monetary donations are always welcome; in addition to food, the ministry purchases goods like freezers and refrigerators to store ingredients and finished items. The nonprofit’s website freezerministry.org has a “Donate” link. Checks (payable to The Freezer Ministry and Garden Gatherers) may be mailed to 1830 Butztown Road, Bethlehem PA 18017. The group can typically turn each donated dollar into seven dollars’ worth of food; even a modest gift can make a big impact, and companies are welcome to participate in the “1,000 meals for $1,000” donation program.

The Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley, which provides a food pantry at 520 East Fourth Street in Bethlehem, accepts monetary donations online at hclv.networkforgood.com/projects/230468-everyday-giving.

Marvine ES gladly accepts donations of food items, household essentials (such as paper products and hygiene items), and clothing. Interested parties should reach out to Community School Coordinator Luis Vasquez at Lvasquez@basdschools.org for details on how to make a donation.

There are three easy ways to support New Bethany with a monetary donation. Donors may visit newbethany.org and click the “Donate” button to give. New Bethany accepts all major credit cards. Donors may also use Venmo to send a monetary gift to @LVNewBethany, or mail a check (payable to New Bethany) to New Bethany Inc., Attn: Exec. Director John Marc Rittle, 333 Wyandotte Street, Bethlehem PA 18015.

To donate food to the Northeast Community Center (1161 Fritz Drive in Bethlehem), please contact Program Director Destiny Checo at checod@neccbethlehem.org or 610-691-3355. To donate money, please contact Executive Director Paula Johnson at johnsonp@neccbethlehem.org or 610-691-3355.

The Salvation Army, which serves residents from its Bethlehem Corps location (521 Pembroke Road) accepts monetary donations online at give.salvationarmy.org/campaign/720600/donate. Information on giving by mail or phone is at salvationarmyusa.org/ways-to-give/give-by-mail-or-phone>.

Food wholesalers and retailers interested in helping a local food pantry with donations of food are welcome to contact Second Harvest, which coordinates efforts across the Lehigh Valley at shfblv.org.