Pantry Needs Donations to Pay for Holiday Meal for Families in Need

A local food bank hopes to make the holidays brighter for about 150 Southern Lehigh families in need, but donors are needed.

Chris Page, the director of Betty Lou's Pantry in Coopersburg, said monetary donations are needed to help offset the cost of the special take-home Christmas dinner the food bank will provide to local residents.

"When a family applies for food assistance, we have them fill out a questionnaire for the special meals we provide at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter," Page explained in an email.

At Christmas, the families are able to choose a ham, turkey or one of three types of lasagna, as well as a cherry, apple or pumpkin pie for their meal.

Page said it "is never too late to sign up for help" from Betty Lou's, and recommended that residents who are struggling financially call 610-282-2838 "or just show up on either the second or fourth Saturday between 9:30 and noon and apply [for assistance] then."

Recipients of food aid must meet state income guidelines (see attached eligibility requirements summary sheet) and live in the Southern Lehigh School District.

"As for the special Christmas dinner we are providing, we would need to know [of a need] before Dec. 21, which is when we are going to distribute the food," Page said.

Betty Lou's is located at 333 E. Oxford St. and is open for regular distributions from 9:30 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Saturday of each month.

More information about the food bank is available on the Coopersburg borough website.

Checks can be made out to Betty Lou's Pantry and mailed to P.O. Box 460, Coopersburg, PA 18036.

Patch file photo