Carbon County

Food pantries in Carbon County serve hundreds of people throughout the area.Many are a subsidiary of Shepherd House, while others are connected with Second Harvest Food Bank "Feeding America."No matter what affiliation, pantries depend on community donations to keep the shelves stocked and doors open so that they can provide food for the needy.Here is the list of the pantries in the Carbon County communities, their distribution day and contact information.• Beaver Meadows serves households in Packer Township and is located in Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, 19 Second St., Beaver Meadows. Food distribution is the third Thursday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. For more information, contact Jennifer Barnasevitch at 570-956-5980.• Jim Thorpe Area serves households in the Jim Thorpe School District and is located in Ebenezer Evangelical Congregational Church, 441 Center Ave., Jim Thorpe. Food distribution is the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m.For more information, contact Pam Moore at 570-325-3240 or the Rev. Nathan Kennedy at 570-325-2855.• Lansford Area serves households in Lansford and is located in Trinity Lutheran Church, 104 E. Abbott St., Lansford. Food distribution is the third Monday of each month from 9:30 to 11 a.m.For more information, contact Richard Willing at 570-657-6159.• Lehighton Area serves households in Lehighton; Mahoning, Franklin and East Penn townships; Weissport and the Lehighton Area School District, including Parryville, and is located in Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 175 S. Third St. Food distribution is every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.For more information, contact Ron and Carolyn Long or Shirley Radler at 610-377-4303.• Lighthouse Baptist Church offers a food pantry through Second Harvest Food Bank "Feeding America." The pantry is located at 1349 Green St., Lehighton, Franklin Township. Food distributions take place the second Wednesday of each month between 4 and 7 p.m. and the fourth Saturday of each month between 9 a.m. and noon. For more information, call 610-377-0641.• Nesquehoning Area serves households in Nesquehoning, Hauto and Lake Hauto and is located in Meed's Memorial United Methodist Church, 126 W. Catawissa St., Nesquehoning. Food distribution is the third Thursday of each month from 1 to 3:30 p.m.For more information, contact Paula Anthony at 570-645-5873 or Mary Beth Beck at 570-427-4071.• Palmerton Area serves households in Palmerton, Towamensing and Lower Towamensing townships, and the Palmerton School District including Bowmanstown and is located in Saint John's Towamensing Lutheran Church, 2915 Fireline Road, Palmerton. Food distribution is the fourth Friday of each month from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.For more information, contact Barbara Brader at 610-377-4768, or Kenneth Kaiser at 610-826-6133.• Summit Hill Area serves households in Summit Hill and is located in the Summit Hill Heritage Center, 1 W. Hazard St., Summit Hill. Food distribution is the fourth Tuesday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon.For more information, contact Rose Marie Armon at 570-645-3604, or John Williams at 484-560-8725.• Tresckow Area serves households in Banks Township and is located in the Banks Township Municipal Building, Cherry and Fern streets, Tresckow. Food distribution is from January to October, the fourth Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. and for November and December, the third Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m.For more information, contact Betty Milore at 570-454-8209.• Weatherly Area serves households in Weatherly, Lausanne and Lehigh townships and East Side Borough and is located in the Zion's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 335 Third St., Weatherly. Food distribution is the second Tuesday of each month from 2 to 4 p.m.For more information, contact Charles Hettler at 570-427-8981 or the Rev. Donald Adams at 570-427-5071.For additional information about Shepherd House, contact Stanley Haupt between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 610-377-6048 or email

bookworm@ptd.net.Monroe County• The Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network community service center is located on 279 Greenview Drive in Brodheadsville. The PVEN center is open for food and clothing pickup on Tuesdays 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. However due to funding regulations, the PVEN food pantry is limited to how much food can be distributed from the center and how often families are allowed to access its services.• West End Food Pantry, a branch of Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network at the Eldred Township Community Center, will strive to provide an additional food resource to individuals and families who are struggling with hunger and food insecurity in the west end of Monroe County. Participants are asked to bring proof of identification and shopping bags/carts. The West End Food Pantry will be set up as a "Choice Pantry" allowing individuals to select the items needed to sustain their family through times of need. Hours are 9 a.m. to noon on the first and third Saturdays of the month.• The food pantry at Effort UMC, Merwinsburg Road in Effort, will be open from 10 a.m. to noon the second and fourth Saturday of the month. This ministry is an outreach serving the communities of Effort, Gilbert, Kunkletown, Kresgeville, Brodheadsville, Saylorsburg, Sciota and Albrightsville for helping feed families going through emergency or other short term situations that are not eligible for local, county or state programs. It is limited to a 12-week lifetime duration per family. a valid driver's license or state ID with address proving residency in the West End is required.