Traffic along Cherry Street in South Scranton slowed as a crowd of people formed outside of the new home for Meals on Wheels NEPA.

The project comes after the nonprofit outgrew its prior location along Wyoming Avenue.

Executive director Lindsey Skripka says they are already seeing the results of months of planning and hard work. “Our very first day here, just seeing the efficiencies and seeing all of the incredible things that we’re doing is really, really special and touching.”

Inside the kitchen, employees loaded French toast sticks, sausage links and vegetables into the brand-new equipment that got signed, sealed, ready for delivery.

Every day, staff deliver thousands of meals to those across several counties who are dealing with food insecurity.

“We’ve already started looking at additional counties. We’re looking at different partnerships, and we can do it because we have that infrastructure now that’s actually going to make it possible. So I’m super proud to be a part of it,” said Kirsten Smith, Meals on Wheels NEPA.

“And this organization has done so much for so many people. It’s the least we could do is give back a little bit and help them get a brand new state-of-the-art facility open that can help so many more people,” said John Basalyga, JBAS Realty.

John Basalyga is the owner of the building and knows firsthand just how important it is for Meals on Wheels to have the proper building.

At one point, his father received Meals on Wheels, a service that Basalyga says drives his passion for the organization today.

“To benefit from that and help my family out like it did, it just, it’s a super important organization to me just because of that alone, never mind what it does to all the other members of the community that need it,” said Basalyga.

With a place to call home, staff with Meals on Wheels NEPA are excited for the future and their role in the fight against food insecurity.

“Our vision is very far-sighted, so we’re looking decades into the future to ensure that this entire region of northeastern Pennsylvania has home-delivered meals,” said Skripka.

Continuing the same mission, just in a new building.