EAST ALLEN TWP, Pa. - As supply chain bottlenecks continue across the country, some food banks are seeing a dip in food supplies and are receiving late shipments.
Katarah Jordan is the director of Second Harvest Food Bank. She says to keep shelves filled with food during the pandemic, she orders early and sometimes months in advance.
“We started purchasing for the holiday season in August of this year,” Jordan said. “So we were able to secure stuffing and cranberry sauce and things that people would be able to cook and enjoy with their families. We are grateful for where we are right now.”
That’s one reason why Jordan says she’s not worried about getting holiday foods for families. The food bank has also built partnerships with local farms to get fresh produce to its clientele.
“Our supply chain changed during COVID-19, so it kind of affected everything that we do here. We had to learn to food bank in a different way,” Jordan said. “The prices have definitely skyrocketed. So during the last year, we were able to really focus on the local, [like] small farms and what they have to offer.”
Second Harvest delivers about 10 million pounds of food to six Pennsylvania counties each year. The agency feeds close to 45,000 people each month.
To learn more or to donate, visit the Second Harvest Food Bank website.
