Central Pennsylvania Food Bank

Record inflation impacts all of us; but for many families, children, seniors, and veterans it is putting a tighter squeeze on their progress to recover from the economic effects of the pandemic. Family budgets are strained, forcing many of our neighbors to make impossible choices between paying for groceries or other critical needs such as housing, transportation, and childcare. This is especially important as the school year ends. Many families will need extra childcare and will have to make up the one or two extra meals per day when the free and reduced school lunch and breakfast programs is no longer available. It is another high cost they will have to absorb. Food insecurity in central Pennsylvania remains a stark reality for more than 337,000 of our neighbors in central Pennsylvania. Many are working but still face higher utility bills and other expenses just as key government assistance programs, such as the Child Tax Credit, come to an end. At the CPFB, we are strengthening our commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. Our mission to better serve our most vulnerable neighbors depends on it. To do that, we must learn more about each other, empathize with people who endure discrimination, and reflect the human dignity of people with different life experiences, and ensure we are providing the food resources they need to be healthy, well, and productive. We must face some hard truths about racism, white privilege, and white supremacy in our community and how they have adversely impacted some members of our community. Those we serve deserve nothing but the best from us. To be effective in our fight to end hunger, we must address the impact of racism. With the generous support of the community, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and its network of more than 1,200 local pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other partners throughout its 27-county territory will always be here when times get tough, providing a helping hand when individuals and families need it most. The Food Bank’s territory is wide, but our impact is local. Partnerships are our most powerful weapon in fighting hunger, improving lives, and strengthening communities. Together with our network we served more than 445,000 individuals in 2021 and provided:  More than 57 million meals  More than 74 million pounds of food  More than 14 million pounds of fresh produce  Nearly 6 million servings of milk