BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A Bethlehem plant shop joined forces with a small group of local volunteers this month to distribute hundreds of free meals to residents in need — part of a grassroots effort that began in two home kitchens and has rapidly expanded into a two-city operation.
Wicked Botanist, located on East Broad Street in Bethlehem, hosted one of two meal-distribution sites organized by Bethlehem resident Victoria Whalen, her friend Emily and food sponsor Yarnell’s Sandwiches, Subs and Catering.
“So we were contacted by a woman named Victoria about hosting her and her partners for the food giveaway,” said Dawn Ash, owner of Wicked Botanist. “We did raise some donations—canned food, snacks, boxed goods — and contributed to the table for grab-and-go items. But they are the kind people who organized, prepared and handed out the food they got, I believe from other donations as well.”
Ash said the store regularly collects food, pet food and supplies year-round, offering gift cards to encourage donations. She added that the business is already discussing another community food giveaway in January.
For Whalen, the effort grew out of late-night worry and a desire to act.
“Given the current climate of the world, I’d have a hard time sleeping at night,” she said. “I would open social media and see people struggling to feed their families. As a mother, it’s too hard for me to look and see that and know I can do even a little bit.”
Whalen said she began texting close friends earlier this fall, telling them she planned to start cooking meals for anyone who needed one. She and Emily initially prepared and delivered meals from their homes.
The effort expanded when Betty from Yarnell’s Sandwiches, Subs and Catering reached out, offering to sponsor the project. With that support, Whalen said the group distributed roughly 500 meals in a month from their home kitchens—prompting them to host in-person distribution events to reach even more people.
On Nov. 23, they held two events: one at Wicked Botanist in Bethlehem and another in a parking lot in downtown Allentown. In total, they served more than 520 meals and handed out hygiene products donated by community members.
Whalen said the experience reinforced an important truth.
“Anybody who needs something needs it, no matter what they look like,” she said. “Any one of these people is somebody you’re pumping gas next to, someone at a PTO meeting or in the school drop-off line. You’d never look at the person next to you and think, ‘They’re in need of food.’ You never know what somebody is going through.”
Isabel Hope is a journalist and website designer based in Bethlehem, PA. She graduated with a degree in journalism from The University of Alabama in 2022, where she served as News Editor of the student newspaper. Isabel has lived in the Lehigh Valley for three years and is passionate about reporting for the communities she now calls home.