Penns Valley Food Pantry Expanding Service Area

The Centre Hall/Penns Valley Food Pantry board of directors. Pictured from left to right are Erskine Cash, president; Anne Sands, treasurer; Sherri Gilliland, client administrator; Nancy Boozer, inventory coordinator; Bob Boozer, vice president; Anne and Page Gaddis, food procurement coordinators and Beth Powell, secretary. Courtesy of the Centre Hall/Penns Valley Food Pantry

By

Jessi Blanarik

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October 2, 2024 – 5:01 am

Centre County Gazette, Community, Local News, Penns Valley

This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.

After nearly 41 years of operation, the Centre Hall/Potter Township Food Pantry announced in a statement that it will be expanding its services beyond Centre Hall and Potter Township and changing its name to reflect the areas it will serve.

At an annual meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 17, the board officially changed the name of the food pantry, which originally began operations in 1983 when, according to the statement, “a group of concerned community members sought to help their neighbors through some difficult times.” It will now serve as the Centre Hall/Penns Valley Food Pantry.

“With the closing of the food pantry in Aaronsburg this spring, the former Centre Hall/Potter Township Food Pantry became the only Central PA Food Pantry operating in the valley. As such, the membership decided to recognize our increased area of responsibility with the adjustment of our name,” the statement noted.

Located in Grace United Methodist Church at 127 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Centre Hall, the food pantry, which is operated entirely by volunteers, will distribute food monthly to those in need from Centre Hall Borough, Gregg, Hanes, Miles, Penn and Potter townships and Millheim Borough. Distribution takes place from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month, except for the month of August which distributes on the second Tuesday of the month.

Those in need can email gracechpfp@gmail.com for more information. Those interested in volunteering or donating goods or funds can also contact the aforementioned email address or stop at the pantry on distribution day. Orders are assembled from 8 to 10 a.m.