Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan visited Helping Harvest, a Feeding America-affiliated food bank that provides food to Berks and Schuylkill counties, on Thursday, June 6.
Helping Harvest is on the front lines of fighting hunger in the region, distributing millions of pounds of food each year to food insecure families, children, seniors and individuals, and Councilman Houlahan's visit highlighted the importance of these organizations and the positive impact they have in local communities.
During her visit, Senator Houlahan toured facilities and met with staff and volunteers. The visit also provided an opportunity to discuss federal and state policies that can support food banks and the people they serve.
“I am committed to making sure no one in our community goes hungry.” Senator Houlahan said. “Helping Harvest plays a vital role in providing food assistance to thousands of individuals and families, and we look forward to learning more about their work and how we can support their mission through policy and community engagement.”
Councilman Houlahan recently secured a $500,000 grant through the Community Project Funding Program to support the new Helping Harvest Community Kitchen project being constructed in the GoggleWorks II building in downtown Reading. The kitchen will utilize large amounts of donated food to create heat-and-eat meals for distribution through the food bank’s partner agencies, as well as provide culinary training opportunities.
“We are honored to welcome Representative Houlahan to Helping Harvest.” Jay Worrall, CEO of Helping Harvest, said: “Her support will be invaluable as we continue to address hunger in our community, and I look forward to discussing our work and exploring ways we can further collaborate.”
