Community Chest Schedules Food Drive
The Lititz Warwick Community Chest food pantry is not typical. "Our model is a little different than a traditional food pantry," said Atle Bjanes, president of the Lititz Warwick Community Chest. "We don't have a pantry where people can come and get food. We bring food to clients who request it."
Until now, the Chest has relied on food drives, such as the United States Postal Service and Scouting for Food efforts held yearly to stock its shelves. Three area churches also contribute regularly. "A lot of private citizens, churches, businesses, civic organizations, and even birthday parties hold their own food drives for us," said Bjanes, who noted that up to 70,000 pounds of nonperishables can be stored at the pantry.
However, the current situation has affected supplies. "We have a 50% increase in requests for deliveries," said Bjanes. "We will be drawing our reserves down."
In response, the Chest will hold a self-service food drive on Saturday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lots at Victory Church Lititz, 540 E. Newport Road, Lititz; St. Paul Lutheran Church, 200 W. Orange St., Lititz; and Grace Church, 501 W. Lincoln Ave., Lititz. Each church parking lot will feature at least one pickup truck as a food donation receptacle. Donors are asked to go to one of the parking lots during the allotted time and place donations in the bed of the truck. Those wishing to donate are encouraged to keep a safe social distance and leave immediately after donating. Items that the pantry especially needs right now include canned fruits, such as peaches, pears, fruit cocktail, and pineapple, and canned meats, including chicken, tuna, and pork products. White or brown rice, boxed potatoes, and meal kits that utilize hamburger, tuna, or chicken are also welcome. Canned pasta, pancake mix, syrup, and powdered milk will also be accepted.
For those who are not able to donate in person, Bjanes said, monetary donations are welcome. Readers may visit http://lwcommunitychest.org for more information on ways to donate.
According to Bjanes, the Chest has a hotline number for food pantry clients in the Warwick School District. "Phone volunteers retrieve the (hotline) messages and contact the clients," said Bjanes, who added that the phone volunteers ask for important details such as the size of the family and the address before contacting the delivery volunteer. Until recently, the delivery volunteer would go to the pantry and collect food from the shelves before visiting a local grocery store to purchase fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, deli meat, cheese, meats, frozen vegetables, milk, and eggs. The volunteer would then deliver these products to the client's home.
Since the pandemic, though, the Chest has worked to minimize contact in the way the food is packaged and delivered to clients. "To maintain social distancing, we have prepackaged deliveries in the pantry, and then volunteers pick up the bags and go to (a market) in Lititz," said Bjanes. "They call the (grocery) store, and the store loads a cart with a prepackaged amount of food, and then the volunteer (picks that up and) drives that to the client."
Readers wishing to know more about the self-service food drive may search for "Lititz Warwick Community Chest" on Facebook. Individuals who are in need of food or are interested in volunteering may call 717-627-0770.
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