Volunteers helping provide Thanksgiving meals to those in need in Schuylkill, Berks counties
SUBMITTED PHOTO - Volunteers pack Thanksgiving boxes at the Helping Harvest warehouse on Oct. 25.
READING – Heat-and-eat meals and Thanksgiving boxes will be distributed to folks in need across Schuylkill and Berks counties, thanks to the efforts of volunteers with Helping Harvest.
The nonprofit says they have produced nearly 15,000 Thanksgiving heat-and-eat meals at their new community kitchen in downtown Reading. They’ve also got nearly 5,000 pantry boxes with Thanksgiving staples, 3,632 whole turkeys, and 2,252 turkey breasts to help neighbors facing food insecurity.
They’ll all be distributed through Helping Harvests network of agency partners, including food pantries, as well as through their mobile markets program. In our area, Helping Harvest operates mobile markets in Shenandoah, Frackville, Mahanoy City, and Girardville, among others. Full details can be found here.
“We know that for some neighbors, particularly seniors, a heat-and-eat meal is more convenient and nutritionally appropriate for them,” said Jay Worrall, president of Helping Harvest. “There are also a lot of families experiencing food insecurity in our community that still want to be able to cook their own holiday meal—we’re happy to be able to provide Thanksgiving boxes and turkeys or turkey breasts to them.”
Food donors were also vital to the success and scope of this year’s Thanksgiving efforts. Donors included Koch’s Turkey Farm (2,114 smoked whole turkeys and 1,100 smoked turkey breasts), The Giant Company (1,000 whole turkeys), C&S Wholesale Grocers (300 whole turkeys), Wegman’s (30 cases of cranberry sauce), The Westy Bar & Grill (300 lbs. of butter), Russo’s Gourmet Foods & Market (220 lbs. of green beans) and Restaurant Depot (special discount pricing on 3,880 lbs. of sweet potatoes). Food drives and individual food donations also brought in 80 whole turkeys and many pantry staples.
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