West Chester, Pa (January 25, 2023) – The West Chester Food Cupboard is expanding its efforts to meet the needs of more individuals and families thanks, in part, to $50,000 in state funding secured by state Senator Carolyn Comitta.
The Food Cupboard, one of the largest hunger relief agencies in Chester County, is planning to expand its services so its volunteers can continue to meet the needs of the local community. The funds, secured by Comitta, will help cover the expansion costs, including new refrigeration and freezers, flooring, shelving, HVAC and electric work, and other equipment and upgrades.
“The West Chester Food Cupboard continues to grow and expand to meet the needs of all people in our community. Hunger is a solvable problem and we can solve it through volunteerism, generosity, and working together,” Comitta said. “I am happy to support the expansion of the West Chester Food Cupboard and thank all of the volunteers and donors who keep it and our entire network of food banks and agencies running.”
“We are immensely grateful for Senator Comitta’s support of the West Chester Food Cupboard and her assistance in securing this grant. This and the many other initiatives she has driven and supported demonstrate her commitment to reducing food insecurity in our community,” said Rob Necarsulmer, Board President of the West Chester Food Cupboard
Founded in 2009, the West Chester Food Cupboard is a 100 percent volunteer-run non-profit organization. It has expanded from providing food to about 340 households a month at its inception to more than three times that many today. Recently, its needs have grown significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to rise as a result of higher consumer costs.
The West Chester Food Cupboard expects to distribute more than 1.6 million pounds of food to more than 1,100 households a month from July 2022 to June of this year.
Clients receive a variety of dairy, meats, fresh produce, nonperishables, and basic personal care items. Half of the items provided are purchased with cash donations and the remaining are provided with food donations. Clients include single-parent families, people with disabilities, veterans, the elderly, and workers holding down full-time, low-income jobs. All are at or below the 185% poverty level and come from a wide variety of circumstances.
In addition, the food cupboard has launched a number of initiatives to meet the needs of more residents and families by working with local organizations and institutions like the Salvation Army, the Melton Center, ACT in Faith, Cheyney University, West Chester University, and Lincoln University.
Most recently, the West Chester Food Cupboard launched the Food Cupboard Express, which offers free basic food items and extras to anyone who needs additional food with no eligibility requirements. Clients may come as often as they need to obtain items in an easy, store-like experience. The Food Cupboard Express is open on Mondays and Fridays from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
For more info on the West Chester Food Cupboard, visit www.westchesterfoodcupboard.org