For Charlotte’s Pantry director Irene Speers and her husband, Pastor Elmer, serving God starts with serving people. Seeing a hole that needed to be filled, in 2008 Irene stepped in to take over her church’s pantry operations with the assistance of her husband and a few other parishioners. The progress they have made since then, bolstered by the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, can only be described as a miracle.

“The Food Bank has really made our pantry blossom,” Irene said, smiling. “Today, for instance, we had 45 pounds of food per family.”

When Irene first overhauled the pantry, operations were small, confined to a small room in the church where they received supplies from another local partner. Then, someone suggested that Irene check out what the Food Bank might have to offer. Though it took her a bit to get used to ordering food through the website, Irene is now an old pro at putting together tasty, healthy choices for pantry guests.

“When (the food) comes in, I can usually tell she’s been thinking of a meal,” Elmer said of his wife. “What’s on the shelves is what we’re going to serve for the next few weeks. She’s very good at that–that’s her forte.”

Above all, the couple is eager and grateful for the opportunity to serve the community they love.

“It helps my heart, I’ll tell you,” Irene said. “Our mission is to serve those who are less fortunate, no matter who they are or what class they come from. Because you never know when you’ll be in that position.”

Food shouldn’t be an impossible choice. For many of us, a daily meal is just a choice about what to eat for dinner. For those facing hunger, a daily meal poses a very different type of choice. It is often an impossible choice between food and other critical needs such as utilities, housing or medicine.

 

How can you lend a helping hand?

  • Support our efforts by donating today.
  • Host your own Virtual Food Drive and help many more of your neighbors in need by raising funds for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Every dollar counts!
  • Give the gift of time by volunteering. Volunteerism is critical to the core mission of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and our partner agencies.