Health & Wellness News

With SNAP benefits delayed in November and the holidays approaching, Lehigh Valley residents can help or get help. Here's where to find food pantries, volunteer opportunities, and donation info.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, has organized a food drive while pinning the ongoing government shutdown on Senate Democrats. SNAP benefits that help feed millions of low-income Americans are hours away from expiring.

The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation have launched a $500,000 fundraising campaign to strengthen food access and deliver rapid relief to families in need.

In the Lehigh Valley, 105,000 people rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance. One in four of them is a child. When federal safety nets falter, the charitable food network becomes the community’s last line of defense. It requires collaboration, leadership and shared purpose.

About 400 Allentown families came to The Salvation Army for The Give Back resource event Wednesday, where they received shelf-stable food, daily necessities, and more, just as federal assistance benefits are about to be cut off.

The move announced Monday affects patients at LVHN hospitals and offices in the Lehigh Valley – those properties that were providing care before Jefferson Health’s acquisition of LVHN last summer.

The St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest signups are open, offering participants a chance to qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon.

The Lehigh Valley International Airport on Friday debuted GoodMaps, a smartphone-driven, audio guidance app for passengers with physical and emotional challenges.

The Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley held groundbreaking ceremonies for its facility expansion on Wednesday in South Whitehall Township.

The Bethlehem data of St. Luke’s recently completed triennial Community Health Needs Assessment was released at Nitschmann Middle School on Monday.

The Nazareth branch of the River Crossing YMCA announced a $9 million renovation project that will begin in April 2026. The project is $1.5 million short of its goal.

The Philadelphia-based health system will lay off 1% of its staff, citing "financial headwinds." Jefferson Health completed its acquisition of Lehigh Valley Health Network in August 2024.

There's been another attempt to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.

The U.S. Government's Medicare telehealth funding deadline is March 31. While many express concerns about its future, a local expert at St. Luke's University Health Network believes the program will be extended.

The federally funded Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley served about 10,000 people last year across its five locations across the region.

Flu rates are up nationally and especially in Pennsylvania. Lehigh and Northampton counties are among the Top Ten counties with influenza cases for this year's respiratory virus season, which runs through September.

Lehigh Valley Health Network has confirmed they will open two new medical facilities at the former Martin Tower site, including a women's health center.

House Republicans want to slash federal spending by $2 trillion and are eying cuts and restrictions to the $880 billion Medicaid program. Demonstrators say they'll keep applying pressure to U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, to oppose such plans.

A Lehigh University student's nonprofit is looking to help the community access dental education and supplies for free through an upcoming event on the university's campus.

There have been dozens of claims brought against B. Braun alleging the ethylene oxide emissions from company facilities contributed to cancer cases in nearby residents and employees.

Lehigh Valley Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Foundation donated $55,000 each to St. Luke's University Health Network and Lehigh Valley Health Network. The funds will go toward NICU equipment and support for needy families whose babies are receiving medical care there.

The Bethlehem City Planning Commission on Thursday gave a 4-0 nod to the land development review for the three-story, 93,500-square-foot expansion with a rooftop helipad. Construction is expected to take more than two-and-a-half years.

With a $100,000 grant secured by state Sen. Nick Miller, R-14th District, the Boys & Girls Club of Allentown renovated the 53-year-old gymnasium at its Sixth Street Clubhouse.

The state's dairy industry has officially reached "HPAI-free" status after rigorous testing in Pennsylvania dairy cattle for highly pathogenic avian influenza. Other states have detected bird flu in their cattle though, so the state will continue to monitor and test cattle.