READING, Pa. – The Jewish Federation of Reading is starting the new year by making a big donation.
The organization gave a check for $15,000 to Helping Harvest. It also shared eight large boxes of canned goods.
Helping Harvest says it distributed 11.1 million pounds of food last year. That beats its previous record, which was set during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The food bank says the need has continued to rise since then.
“Our demand is not decreasing. It continues to increase, and the supports we’re getting from the federal government are not increasing, so our ability to serve more people really is predicated is on contributions like this one,” said Jay Worrall, president of Helping Harvest.
The Jewish Family Service operates two monthly food pantries in partnership with Helping Harvest.