In Schuylkill County, the Catholic Charities Community Café Food Truck has become more than a way to serve meals — it’s a ministry of hope on wheels.
Month after month, the truck visits numerous towns across the county, bringing nutritious meals and a sense of community to our neighbors who need it most. In the past year alone, the Community Café Food Truck has served more than 34,000 meals — an average of 654 meals every single week. Thanks to generous donors and tireless volunteers, the number of meals served has grown steadily – actually doubled – in one year.
“It’s a sign of both the need and the trust our community places in this ministry,” said Andrea Neagle, Executive Director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown.
A New Food Truck for Catholic Charities Community Café
And now, a brand-new Community Café food truck will bring the same compassion and nourishment to Berks County, expanding Catholic Charities’ outreach and ensuring more families receive the help they need.
In Allentown, the Community Café Kitchen also provides meals for those in need. Each meal served, whether from the truck or the kitchen, is a steppingstone toward Catholic Charities’ holistic approach to care.
Neagle pointed out that food is often the first connection that leads to additional services needed such as case management, counseling, housing support, and more.
“The need for our food and nutrition hub services is not going away, it’s growing,” she said. “It allows us to introduce our other Catholic Charities services in a respectful and compassionate way.”
Henry, a guest of the Schuylkill County food truck, shared just how vital this ministry is in his life.
“There’s always good people here,” Henry said. “Living on a limited income, I often had to choose between buying food or paying for car insurance.” Henry needs insurance to get to doctor appointments more than 20 miles away.
“The food truck makes the difference in choosing between seeing doctors and eating,” he said.
And that is reason enough for Neagle and her dedicated team of staff and volunteers to keep the food truck and nutrition services efforts operating successfully.
“Food should never be a choice someone has to make over their health, safety, or dignity,” Neagle said.
Endowment Funds for Catholic Charities Are Making a Difference
Three years ago, Catholic Charities created two endowment funds with the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania to support this vital ministry: the Catholic Charities Schuylkill County Ecumenical Kitchen Fund and the Catholic Charities Lehigh Valley Ecumenical Kitchen Fund. Support for these funds ensure that the basic food needs of individuals and families across the Diocese are met – not just today, but for generations to come.
