Pantries prepare for holiday surge - Tribune-Review

Pantries prepare for holiday surge - Tribune-Review

Updated 5 hours ago

Editor's note: In this season of giving, we decided to share with readers these vignettes from folks at food pantries in the region who devote their time to feeding those in need.

Peg Sinback and the Crossroads Presbyterian Church food pantry do a little bit more than put a meal on the table for the holidays.

On top of offering supplies to families for a Christmas dinner, the church passes out toys to children, and within the past few years, the kids even got to write their own wish lists, Sinback said.

“This way, the kids are choosing and asking for what they want,” Sinback said. “In our faith, Christmas is such an important time, so it's our turn to give back, and it's our chance to share our faith and give a gift.”

Since the early 1990s, Sinback has been involved with the food pantry at the Monroeville church; in 2012, she became its director. In the past eight years, the number of families served has increased by 71 percent, to roughly 240.

For Sinback and her 40 volunteers, the holiday season entails extra work and added need. But Sinback doesn't mind, she said, because that's what the holiday is about.

“We get such thanks and hugs throughout the year and get told what a difference we have made in their lives,” Sinback said. “I know it's just worse at the holidays, and expenses are so much more.”

Known as the largest food pantry in Monroeville, Crossroads needs to keep a food distribution system in place for the families, Sinback said. Pickup is based on appointment at the Haymaker Road church; the pantry's additional Christmas meal and children's gifts can be picked up the Monday or Tuesday before the holiday.

“For as good as a place as Monroeville seems to be, there is still a need,” Sinback said. “We have four new families waiting for us to call them back. We are never done getting new families.”

A growing need in Plum

In December 1982, the Holiday Park United Methodist Church food pantry in Plum had one borrowed refrigerator, a small walk-in cupboard and some hallway shelves.

Joe Utterback, the pantry's director, said they were averaging 10 to 12 families when they first started giving back to the residents of Plum. Today, the pantry has grown, serving about 160 families.

Every Tuesday, six men take their pickups to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to load up and bring supplies to the pantry at 81 Sundane Drive. Seven churches, Aldi and Community Supermarket also contribute to the pantry.

And in the midst of the holiday season, Utterback and his 45 volunteers begin to see families come more consistently.

“As they start coming regularly beginning in September, we try to put the turkey on the table for Thanksgiving and give certificates out during Christmas,” Utterback said.

The pantry distributed special meals to its families for Thanksgiving and intends to do some additional gift-giving during the Christmas season. In an annual toy drive, Utterback and the pantry will distribute collected toys Dec. 17, as well as pass out gift certificates for food.

The pantry is open the first through the fourth Tuesdays of every month.

Former educator at helm in Penn Hills

Penn Hills has been home to Ed Hoover and his wife since 1955.

Hoover moved to the area for a teaching job in the Penn Hills School District. His positions fluctuated throughout the district's three schools, and he eventually became high school principal until his retirement in 1991.

He became acquainted with the Penn Hills Service Association and its food pantry at 2519 Main St. in the Universal neighborhood in 1963. He is now its director.

Every month, Hoover and his 35 volunteers get two to five tons of food from the food bank in Pittsburgh to distribute to Penn Hills residents. The service association pantry distributes based on appointment.

With contributions from churches and grocery stores, it typically serves about 150 families. But with the season of gift-giving comes added need for residents to stock up on food, bumping that number closer to 200 households.

“Turner Dairy gives a product each month to give to the families. They gave out a quart of eggnog this time,” Hoover said. “On Wednesday mornings, there is someone from the Trinity Towers United Methodist Church who brings Panera Bread products that we put out on the tables for the families to take when they come in for their packs. Overall, they walk out of there with a lot of food.”

Christine Manganas is a Tribune-Review contributing writer. She can be reached at manganas504@gmail.com.