Who: To help alleviate hunger, the Bread Basket of Northeastern Pennsylvania has supported food pantries in Lackawanna County since 1983. There, clients can pick up not only non-perishable items but also fresh produce and proteins to help them maintain well-balanced diets. The organization has continued to operate during the coronavirus pandemic, switching to a drive through-style of handing out items to help with social distancing. Executive Director Phoebe Wilson encourages others to spread the word that the Bread Basket is here to help people get through the pandemic and beyond.
What: Like other charities, the Bread Basket has noticed more people in need of its services since the coronavirus pandemic spread to the region, with new faces joining regular clients. The organization has seen a need for items that help people keep clean, healthy homes, such as personal hygiene products, paper goods and household cleaners.
Each of the Bread Basket’s pantries requires something different at any given time, so monetary donations help the organization fulfill those needs as well as cover the cost of renting trucks to move large orders of food to the pantries. But any kind of donations always is appreciated, Wilson said.
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Phoebe Wilson, executive director of the Bread Basket of Northeastern Pennsylvania
How: To donate, visit breadbasketnepa.com or drop off contributions at one of the organization’s pantries. For more information, email breadbasketnepa@verizon.net or call 570-343-2324.
In her own words: “Support and donations only make our client families’ lives better. It means we’re able to provide more fresh foods and serve a bigger community. Bread Basket is a very small nonprofit with little overhead, so donations directly impact our clients.” – Phoebe Wilson, executive director
Bread Basket food pantries
- St. Thomas Aquinas Church at Christ the King Parish, 411 Church St., Archbald: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to noon; serves zip codes 18403, 18433, 18411, 18407, 18433 and 18421
- Elm Park Methodist Church, 712 Linden St., Scranton: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to noon; serves zip codes 18503, 18510, 18505, 18507, 18517 and 18518
- Our Father’s House Church, 1820 Church ave., Scranton: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to noon; serves zip codes 18508, 18509, 18512 and 18504
- St. Michael’s Church, 316 First ave., Jessup: Wednesdays, 3 to 5 p.m.; serves zip codes 18434, 18447, 18452 and 18519
- ShopRite Plaza (archway next to allied Services), 921 Drinker Turnpike, Covington Twp.: Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; serves zip codes 18444, 18436, 18424 and 18416
Caitlin Heaney West is the content editor for Access NEPA and oversees the Early Access blog in addition to working as a copy editor and staff writer for The Times-Tribune. An award-winning journalist, she is a summa cum laude graduate of Shippensburg University and also earned a master’s degree from Marywood University. Caitlin joined the Times-Shamrock family in 2009 and lives in Scranton. Contact: cwest@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5107; or @cheaneywest
