Helping Harvest Food Bank

We are so excited to welcome Chef George as the newest member of the Helping Harvest Community Kitchen team. Chef George joins Chef Amanda Richards, Director of Culinary Operations, and will be responsible for daily operations of the kitchen and preparing delicious and nutritious heat-and-eat ready meals for low-income seniors in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. We can't wait to see what these two chefs cook up once we move into the Community Kitchen...very soon!

Today, Helping Harvest staff members, including President Jay Worrall, joined representatives of community organizations, local and state government entities, Penn State campuses and more at?Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks?for a symposium on food security and access. The goal of the symposium was to bring academic researchers together with representatives from the community to discuss the topic of food insecurity and work together on possible ways to address the challenges food banks and their partners face as they serve neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

It's Friday, and that means it's time for another #FoodBankFriday fact! In 2024, we distributed 27,384 senior food boxes at 63 sites in Berks County and 41 sites in Schuylkill County. This equated to almost 800,000 pounds of food distributed to older neighbors through the Senior Food Box Program alone! For more on the Senior Food Box Program: https://lnkd.in/etHyXNs4

Thank you to Lamar Advertising Company for being a Community Partner Sponsor for our Celebration of Community and Hope in Schuylkill County on Thursday, April 24 at Mountain Valley Golf Course. Please join us! For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/e_jXyPwr

We were honored to welcome local organizations and businesses to our warehouse on Friday to compile the donations gathered during the #HelpAGirlOut campaign. At the beginning of February, collection boxes were set up around the area for donations of feminine products and diapers. Thanks to all the local organizations who participated in this year’s #HAGO campaign. These products will make a world of difference to women in our community.

On the road again, just can't wait to get back on the road again. ?? Keep your eyes peeled on area roads for our new, freshly wrapped Community Kitchen truck! ????

Another week of progress on the Community Kitchen, another week closer to move-in day! Most kitchen equipment is in place, and accent walls are painted. This space is so full of possibility...we can't wait to be here every day!

Thank you to Mountain Valley Golf Course for being a Community Partner Sponsor for our Celebration of Community and Hope in Schuylkill County on Thursday, April 24 at Mountain Valley. Please join us! For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/e_jXyPwr

Q: What's the silver lining to holding a Mobile Market in the rain? ???? A: You get to test out your new Weather Pod! We got to try this new method of keeping our registration tablets dry in Oley today. Thanks to the volunteers who braved the wet and gloomy weather to assist our neighbors!

Reading Hospital knocked it out of the park. Thank you for your support of our Weekender Program, which helps ensure that children aren't hungry over the weekend!