Since the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic first hit Pennsylvania, organizations like the YMCA of Centre County, State College Area School District, local food banks, Meals on Wheels and more have stepped up, with the assistance of volunteers and donations, to make sure community members facing difficult times have food.
Other organizations like churches and businesses have been part of the effort as well.
Among them is Calvary Church in Boalsburg, which has partnered with the nonprofit CommonFood Centre County for two major food distributions that have aided thousands of community members.
‘People have just been generous and have said we want to help our community, and I think that’s happening all over,’ said Calvary Pastor Dan Nold, who was diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19.
Founded by Jim and Sheryl Leaman, both Calvary members, CommonFood is a nonprofit that provides nutritious food to under-employed, low-income and single-parent families, primarily in western Centre County. They’ve continued their work to feed families, but also came upon an opportunity to extend their reach.
Earlier this month, through a special Department of Agriculture program, CommonFood picked up nearly 400 boxes of food, each with dried goods, produce, meat and eggs.
Working with local agencies to identify families who could use the help, CommonFood, Calvary and other area church volunteers provided the more than 15,000 pounds of food to 385 families — 663 adults and 611 children — at a drive-through distribution at Calvary on April 16 and by delivery to some who did not have transportation. The State College Jersey Mike’s franchise also supplied turkey sandwiches to add to the supplies.
‘A few weeks ago Jim came to us and said ‘hey they’ve got this program in the Department of Agriculture,” Nold said. ‘It doesn’t have the same income restrictions so it gives us a little bit more latitude to give it to people who need it … maybe their income is typically higher but both parents are out of work or whatever the case. So we have a little more freedom that way than what is typically happening with food bank type stuff.’
This week they got another 600 boxes of food with dried goods, chicken strips, sweet potatoes, apples and eggs. A family donated milk to provide with each as well.
On Wednesday 480 of the boxes were distributed, again with the help of volunteers from churches and organizations like State College Rotary.
The remaining 120 boxes will be available for pickup from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday at Calvary, 150 Harvest Fields Drive. No pre-registration will be required and the food will be available first-come, first-served, said Kendra Gettig, Calvary’s community impact director.
Nold said that separately, Calvary established a community relief fund that has raised more than $50,000 to date.
‘One of our big themes at Calvary is just the simplicity of you need to love your neighbor,’ he said. ‘You need to be there for them when there’s a need. I think that carries over into bigger things. There’s maybe a lot of people in the community who don’t have enough for food and obviously outside of State College the need is, I’m not sure greater, but at least easier to see. I just think in the counties of Central PA, I see it happening all over.’
While he noted the generosity of the Calvary community, Nold was quick to credit the work being done by numerous organizations throughout the community.
‘I think Mel Curtis [anti-hunger program director and Moshannon Valley Y branch director] and the YMCA people are hunger heroes,’ Nold said. ‘There’s a lot of people: Centre Volunteers in Medicine are doing everything they can to keep serving people in need, and the school district, a lot of churches and many others.’
One local business that’s been pitching in to the food distribution efforts has been Hotel State College & Co., which has been offering either prepared meals or groceries each week outside The Corner Room since business shutdowns began.
Hotel State College faces its own challenges, with its bars and restaurants closed since the COVID-19 restrictions were put in place, but Curtis Shulman, director of operations, said he doesn’t foresee the distributions stopping any time soon.
‘We’re going to do it as long as we can,’ Shulman said. ‘Obviously our resources are limited like everyone else’s but we don’t see this stopping in the short-term future… The real objective is to get as many people that have the ability like we do to share their fortunes with the people around us who are struggling.‘
At 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, The Corner Room will have 50 bags available each containing four 6-inch subs and chips from the downtown State College Subway, as well as four each of apple sauce, juice boxes and granola bars. Bags are available first-come, first-served. Those who come are asked to take only one package per person and to abide by social distancing protocols.
In addition to Subway this week, Shulman said the effort has had support from businesses like Domino’s and U.S. Food, as well as donations from community members.
Penn State alumna and artist Alyssa Wheeler also reached out to Hotel State College offering to assist in the effort. Through the end of June, $5 from every print of Penn State and downtown locales sold through her Etsy shop, Respirare Artem, is being donated to the Corner Room food distributions.
Shulman said Wheeler has raised more than $1,500, all of which has gone to community members in need. Last week that included the addition of $10 gift cards for McLanahan’s Downtown Market to each bag.
‘She’s a total rockstar,’ Shulman said. ‘She just has a big heart and a passion for Penn State and wanted to see if there’s anything she could do to help… We’re going to keep finding ways to distribute [the donations] and get it to people who that need the assistance. I can’t speak highly enough about her.’
Hotel State College is also helping with other meal efforts in town, donating all proceeds from a special edition Corner Room T-shirt to the SCASD Education Foundation Emergency Fund, which is supporting the school district’s free meal program.
Shulman said giving out food and supporting other initiatives is just a way to do some good during a trying time.
‘During times like this, it’s nice to do something that makes you feel good,’ he said. ‘I think it’s nice to find a reason to smile everyday and this is one thing that allows us to do that. I don’t know if that’s a little selfish, but it’s good to just feel good about it.’
He added that the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic strike close to home particularly because of how hard the hospitality and food and beverage industries have been hit.
‘An important thing in our company is culture. Every company you go work for says that but we truly believe it,’ he said. ‘We live and breathe it and when times are challenging and your back’s against the wall is when you have to show that’s truly your mission. It’s not fair for us to be out in the community preaching that we’re doing all this great if we don’t back it up.
‘I think it’s important that other businesses that are likeminded as us do the same thing and step up to the plate and I think a lot of them have. It’s doing the right thing. That’s what it comes down to.’
Among other restaurants that have been providing free food, Cozy Thai, , was inspired by The Corner Room’s initiative and is giving away free meals every Friday from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
It’s not just people who are in need, and community efforts have been underway to support local animal shelters and rescues. Among those was a cat food drive led by Suzanne Wills of Lemont.
Wills said in an email last week that the drive resulted in more than 300 pounds of donated cat food for Hope’s Dream Rescue and Sanctuary in Howard, The 100 Cat Foundation in Centre Hall and Fonda’s Foundlings in State College.
‘At this difficult time, they have had to cancel fund raisers and some of their volunteers and supporters have lost their jobs,’ Wills wrote. ‘[Donors] have truly saved the lives of colony cats and relieved the worries of their caretakers.’
