A pallet of food sat near the storage shed at The Wright Center for Community Health – Mid Valley location, delivered that morning by a friendly driver from the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank.

In two hours, vehicles would begin lining up in the parking lot next door — the drivers and passengers waiting for much-needed help to fill their pantries and fridges. Before distributing the nutritious food, however, volunteers from The Wright Center had to unload the delivery and pack hundreds of bright blue cloth bags with fresh produce, milk, juice, meat and other items.

Gerri McAndrew, director of development and relations for community outreach and co-director of The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement (PCE), clapped her hands once to get the attention of a group of volunteers. “OK! Let’s start lining up the produce in the front here, but put the cold stuff back in the shade,” she said. “Then we can start filling the bags assembly-line style.”

Soon, deep purple eggplants and round, shiny spaghetti squash made their way into each bag, followed by bags of yellow potatoes, grapefruits, and much more. Volunteers were careful not to crush the delicate items, including the cartons of eggs. Bags were then lined up on two distribution tables, and McAndrew, who oversees the monthly food pantries organized by PCE, began approaching vehicles to greet the people waiting to pick up the bounty.

September is Hunger Action Month, a time to raise awareness about hunger in communities across America. McAndrew is familiar with the need locally. She oversees regular food pantries at The Wright Center’s community health centers in Mid Valley, North Pocono, and Hawley. Additional pantries, including two recent pop-up events at Scranton’s Weston Field, are held as needed. The Wright Center began hosting food giveaways about a decade ago, McAndrew said, thanks to some help from Volunteers of America and, later, Friends of the Poor.

The need increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and leaders at The Wright Center recognized an opportunity to help patients and others in the community they serve. In addition to the Weinberg Food Bank, The Wright Center partners with a variety of community groups to help distribute food, including the Wayne County Food Pantry and the city of Scranton.

“It was a small program that grew to address the needs of our communities,” McAndrew said. “There are a lot of people in need who don’t drive. The more places you can offer for people to come and get food, the better for the community.”

As the pandemic eased, the need for nutritious food did not disappear. Neither did PCE’s mission to improve the health of our communities through education, advocacy, and patient-centered services that help individuals overcome food insecurity, homelessness, transportation issues, and other factors known as the social determinants of health. In 2023, food distributions organized by The Wright Center helped nearly 900 families. PCE also donated more than 300 turkeys, turkey breasts, and hams to families for their Thanksgiving meal that same year.

“A lot of families are being squeezed by rising prices. Gas, utilities, and rent are all getting more expensive,” McAndrew said. “People are facing tough choices – pay their light and water bills or pay for food. And some months, it may be a choice between buying their kid cleats for soccer or putting food on the table.”

Channel Kearse, an outreach coordinator for the city of Scranton, said many in the Electric City are familiar with those difficult choices. The city began hosting pop-up events in 2022 to increase access to food for Scranton residents and is happy to partner with The Wright Center.

“We know there’s a great need, based on what we’re seeing and what our community partners are seeing,” Kearse said. “Why not bring the resources right to the neighborhoods? We’re going to take every opportunity we can to help people access services.”

Back at the Mid Valley health center, the number of bags dwindled as people arrived to pick up food. McAndrew’s smile grew as she greeted each person individually, jotting down some basic information to report back to the Weinberg Regional Food Bank.

“No one will be turned away,” she said, glancing at the volunteers placing bags in each vehicle. “If we run out, we have resources to make sure no one leaves empty-handed.”

Peckville resident Margaret Esgro, a regular at the Mid Valley food distribution location, appreciates the assurance.

“I’ve been coming to this food bank for years,” she said. “What I can’t use, I’ll pass out to my neighbors in need. It’s a great variety of veggies and meats. And it really helps when you need to stretch your money. I’m very grateful for this food pantry being close to where I live.”