Serving up to 150 families per week, the Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard recently received a $10,000 grant from Montgomery County, which it will use for a new freezer, writes Alicia Roberts for CBS News Philadelphia.
Thanks to donations and volunteers, the pantry offers fresh produce, meat, bread, eggs, dairy, and more free to its users.
“We’ve created a basic shopping model just like you would find at a supermarket, and that allows our families to come in and choose what they want to choose,” said operations manager Angela Michael.
The aim is to ensure those in need of help feel welcome and supported.
“For most people that are in this situation, they’re not sure what to expect, but when they come here and see that there are other families just like them, they know it’s OK,” said Michael.
Jacqueline Haynesworth, of King of Prussia, discovered the pantry after her husband lost his job in June.
“The last couple months, I’ve been coming here, and it’s truly been a blessing ’cause we was really on hard times,” said Haynesworth. “You don’t know how hard it is until you’re placed in that situation.”
Read more about the Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard at CBS News Philadelphia.
