Two Palmerton organizations came together to benefit local community members this past week at St. John’s Towamensing Lutheran Church.

Members of the Crusaders for a Cause organization presented the Christian Action Council of Palmerton Area Churches with a check for $1,000 to go toward their food pantry.

Christina Obrecht, president of Crusaders for a Cause, explained that the organization was founded 15 years ago with the goal to raise money and donate it to local charities.

Obrecht said the group donated toward CACPAC because they wanted to help their local community following the impact of COVID-19.

“We wanted to start with our community first in town here and we know that with COVID everybody’s been hit hard: people, businesses, nonprofits. So we want to make sure everyone’s taken care of whether it’s needed now or at a later time.”

Crusaders for a Cause volunteer Faith Kunkle explained that she had been volunteering with the organization for three years now.

She expressed a love for helping people, and working with the organization has helped her to do what she loves while also helping others.

“Raising money for people who actually need it makes me happy,” Kunkle said.

Crusaders for a Cause raises the money that they donate through yearly spring carnivals held in Palmerton. The $1,000 donated to CACPAC was the first donation made following their 15th annual carnival that they held last month.

“There will be many more donations to come, this is only the first,” Obrecht said.

Kenneth Kaiser, longtime chair of the food pantry, noted that CACPAC consists of nine local Palmerton churches with their mission statement being to help those in need and to feed hungry people.

“If there’s people in need, we want to help them,” Kaiser said.

When asked how it felt to receive such a large donation for his organization, Kaiser expressed gratitude for Crusaders for a Cause.

“Thank you, it’s so helpful. Right now with the COVID money that is coming from the government we’re in pretty good shape, but that’s not gonna be forever so it’s nice to have a bank account like for next Christmas when we’re gonna need stuff. So just thank you, it’s excellent. This is a giving community, it seriously is.”

Those interested in donating toward the CACPAC food pantry can bring donations to the St. John’s Towamensing Lutheran Church where the pantry is located or to other supporting churches within the CACPAC organization.

For more information on Crusaders for a Cause or updates on their future donations, visit their Facebook page at https://bit.ly/3A5D0ps.