A food pantry in Beaver Meadows received a $50,000 state grant designed to help reduce wasted food and fight hunger in Pennsylvania.

Common Ground Ministries, which operates out of a former Catholic church along Route 93, received the Food Recovery Infrastructure Grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Common Ground picks up more than 100,000 pounds of food waste every year from area supermarkets, such as Giant, Weis, Redner’s and Walmart.

Pastor Everett Upton, who founded the pantry 20 years, said the grant will be used for van to pick up and transport the food, bringing food to people in need.

Common Ground is the only food pantry in Carbon County to receive one of these grants, and it received the maximum award.

Food Recovery Infrastructure Grants are awarded to reimburse the cost of equipment like refrigerators, freezers, refrigerated and non-refrigerated vehicles, stoves and microwaves to store, transport or prepare the recovered safe, fresh, wholesome foods to ensure that the food can be redistributed to the public.

In addition to releasing greenhouse gases when it decomposes, food waste represents a significant portion of landfill waste.

— Kelly Monitz Socha