COPLAY RECREATION & WELFARE ASSN. FOOD BANK.

CLICK TO ENLARGE
PICTURES.

JOYCE  LONG
FOOD  BANK  FOUNDER
DECEASED  2011



    



2011  STACKING  PICNIC  BAGS

 


2011  SEPERATING CORN





2011  PREPARED
PICNIC  BAGS



 


2011  PICNIC  BAG  FOOD  ITEMS



FILLING  MONTHLY  DISTRIBUTION  BAGS

GENTLY USED CLOTHING DONATED
AND AVAILABLE FOR CLIENTS.
ON OCCASION, NEW CLOTHING IS
DONATED AND AVAILABLE TO
CLIENTS.

           

 COPLAY RECREATION & WELFARE ASSN.

                               FOOD BANK

The Food Bank was started  circa 1992 under the direction of  Joyce Long.  With the approval of Borough Council, she was able to put this into operation in the basement of the Coplay Municipal Building. We are grateful to the Borough Council for allowing us to continue operating in this building.   Rae Battenfield along with various volunteers over the years, were there to assist her. The community is grateful for her efforts on behalf of those less fortunate and in need. Mrs. Long retired after 12 years of service.

TheFood Bank distributes the food on the 2^nd Tuesday of the month from 9:00 to 10:30 AM.   

Coplay Recreation & Welfare Assn. purchased an upright freezer, a chest freezer and a refrigerator and a filing cabinet to be placed in the food bank room.  They also installed metal shelving to make everything more accessible for distribution of the food.  Recently, the Northampton Food Bank built a new building and donated to Coplay four freezers they had no use for anymore since new ones were donated to them.  The Food Bank operation is now under the direction of Ann Dickman, with the help of Louise & Ray Krenn, Pat Skotek, Diane Galcin, Barbara North, and retired but dedicated Helen Rehrig and Gloria Fischl.  Nancy Moyer, a non resident, was a long time volunteer and has moved from the area.  The borough office women have been a big help since they are there to take the many phone calls and anonymous donations that come thru the regular business hours.  Coplay Public Works Dept. has been invaluable with moving the heavier items down the two flights of stairs and they are available if and when needed.

The operation of the food bank has changed—the food is bagged the Monday before distribution and it is according to family size.  It could be one individual or up to a family of seven and the bagging is according to a distribution chart received from Mr. Missimer,  the former director of the Northampton Food Bank.  Then on Tuesday, each client signs in their name, address, phone number and number in the family and receives their food bag(s) accordingly.  If it is their first time signing in, there is a form they need to fill in along with proof of residency.  This info is kept confidential.  Throughout the year, there is an extra food bag according to the holiday, such as for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and a Picnic bag in July.  We are very fortunate receiving money and food donations from various organizations, churches, banks and food drives: such as the former Coplay High School Alumni Assn., Able Roofing & Siding (Coplay resident George Simpkins, owner) who for many years donated Thanksgiving turkeys; the U.S. Post Office food drives with over 250 food bags picked up, Egypt VFW Auxiliary, AARP Chapter 3115, AARP Chapter 5187, Rose Croix Chapter-Eastern Star,   KNBT-Coplay branch, The Giant Store. Also, Weis Supermarket in Whitehall and the Little Apple Market in Allentown have been more than generous donating bread and baked goods, along with fresh fruits and vegetables.  We and our clients appreciate that Mrs. Joan Holubowski bakes and donates cut out Christmas cookies for everyone during the Holidays. And Whitehall Food Bank at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church has many times called us because they have an excess of bread and deserts and we just need to drive over and pick it up. Presently, we are helping on an average, 25 cases which total 46 individual family members.  We are always looking for volunteer help at the Food Bank—it is once a month, either Monday for bagging the food, and/or Tuesday when distributing the food.  We are usually there for 2 hours each day.

Guest Author Posting:  Ann Dickman   8/2/11