News

Meet Lisa Higgins, Board Chair

September 8, 2022 2:40 pm


  How long have you been on the advisory board for Second Harvest?  Since Spring of 2018.  What do you do in your professional life?   After graduating from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Agriculture and Natural Resources Communications, I began my career as an agricultural journalist writing for regional and national farm magazines. A series of changes led to my work as an administrator in professional theatre for 30+ years. A founding staff member of the Pennsylvania ... Read more

Meet, Vanessa | SNAP Outreach Coordinator

July 27, 2022 4:08 pm


Vanessa has been working as the SNAP Outreach Coordinator for five months now. She loves helping individuals and families in need, taking pride in the fact that her community benefits from her work. Vanessa is a mom of three, so her days are filled with fun outside of her work at Second Harvest. Check out our full Q & A with Vanessa! How long have you been working for Second Harvest?  I have been working for Second Harvest for five months now. What were you doing before working ... Read more

Meet, Madelynn | Summer Intern

July 6, 2022 3:21 pm


Meet our Summer Marketing and Development intern, Madelynn Miller! Madelynn will be entering her junior year at Cedar Crest College this fall, studying Business Administration and English. Her favorite part about working with Second Harvest is learning something new each day and the feeling of knowing she's doing something vital for her community. Check out our full Q & A with Madelynn! Where do you go to school and what are you studying? I go to Cedar Crest College, and I am study ... Read more

Welcome, Dalton | Retail Recovery Coordinator

June 6, 2022 6:15 pm


Welcome Dalton Link, our new Retail Recovery Coordinator! Dalton helps create partnerships between our local retail grocers and food pantries within our six counties. Check out this Q & A with Dalton! How long have you been working for Second Harvest?  4 months What were you doing before working for Second Harvest?  I was selling and delivering craft beer throughout the Lehigh Valley What does your job entail?  Retail Recovery is like casting roles for a ballet and ma ... Read more

Meet, Allison | Associate Executive Director

March 14, 2022 1:03 pm


Allison Czapp joined Second Harvest as our new Associate Executive Director in March, 2022. Previously, she was in grant-writing at our parent organization, Community Action Lehigh Valley, and was Director of Buy Fresh Buy Local – Greater Lehigh Valley. The organization worked with farmers, farmers markets, and other producers to promote and build the local food economy. During her time there, she launched programs like Fresh Food Bucks, which allowed people using SNAP (formerly food stamps) t ... Read more

Meet, Giavanna | Spring Intern

February 28, 2022 6:41 pm


Our Spring Marketing and Development intern is Giavanna Murgia. Giavanna is a junior at Moravian University, studying Communications with a minor in Graphic Design. As the Marketing and Development intern, she contributes to all written materials and uses her creative eye to create new designs for the food bank. Since joining our team, she’s enjoyed seeing how the skills she’s learned at school can be applied to work at an organization. Check out this Q & A with Giavanna!   ... Read more

Welcome, Katy! | The Seed Farm

February 16, 2022 3:11 pm


Meet Katy Hunter - the new program administrator at The Seed Farm. She comes to us with an extensive agricultural background, including working for a CSA. Check out this Q & A with Katy!   How long have you been working for The Seed Farm? I joined Farmer Brad and Farmer Neil on The Seed Farm team in February. The first seeds of the season have been started, so now we get to hold our meetings in the warm, sunny greenhouse—one of the many perks of working on a farm! What ... Read more

Welcome, Tamyah! | Nutrition Educator

February 3, 2022 6:53 pm


This new year we welcomed Tamyah Brice to Second Harvest! Previously working as a nutrition educator in Philadelphia, Tamyah brings their skills and knowledge to our nutrition team. Check out the full Q&A with Tamyah!   How long have you been working for Second Harvest? I started January 3rd this year. I'm a month in!   What were you doing before coming to Second Harvest? I was a nutrition educator at Vetri Community Partnership in Philadelphia. There I wor ... Read more

Meet, Neil! | The Seed Farm

January 24, 2022 5:33 pm


Winter is a busy time for our team over at the Seed Farm. While we are in the off-season, there's still a lot of work that goes into getting the farm ready for the upcoming growing season. Check out this Q & A with our Assistant Manager, Neil!  What kind of work do you do at the Seed Farm during the winter?  Most of it is maintenance, organization and planning. We fix infrastructure (greenhouses, irrigation, electric), tractor and implement repairs (replacing worn/old/broken part ... Read more

Meet, Brad! | Inventory Control Coordinator

January 4, 2022 3:47 pm


This past September we welcomed Brad to Second Harvest! After over 30 years of working in libraries, he joined our growing team as an Inventory Control Coordinator. Get to know Brad and what his new position entails. Check out our full Q & A with him!   How long have you been working for Second Harvest?  Since September 7, 2021. What were you doing before working for Second Harvest?  I worked in libraries for over 30 years. What does your job entail?  Primarily ... Read more

Welcome, Maison! | Development Officer

December 9, 2021 10:22 pm


A familiar face has joined the Second Harvest development team! We are extremely excited to welcome Maison Allen as our Development Officer. Get to know a bit more about Maison and why she loves working for Second Harvest. Check out our full Q & A with her!   How long have you been working for Second Harvest?  I started working at Community Action in June of 2021 as the Volunteer Coordinator for all the programs, including Second Harvest. This involved scheduling volunteer ev ... Read more

Welcome, Matt! | PA Senior Food Box Program Coordinator

November 3, 2021 4:32 pm


Welcome to Matt Horvath, our newest PA Senior Food Box Program Coordinator! Get to know Matt and what he did prior to joining Second Harvest. Check out our full Q & A with him!   How long have you been working for Second Harvest?  I began shortly after the 4th of July this year, almost 5 months! What were you doing before working for Second Harvest?  Prior to Second Harvest, I was the Assistant Director of Operations with a grassroots basketball organization. We ran to ... Read more

The Seed Farm: Meet Board Member, Louis Cinquino!

October 19, 2021 7:08 pm


The Seed Farm | Meet our Advisory Board! In the Spotlight: Louis Cinquino Check out our Q&A with Seed Farm Advisory Board member, Louis Cinquino! Meet our Advisory Board When did you originally join the board? I've been a member of the Seed Farm board since 2013, then joined Community Action when our organizations merged in 2019. Why did you choose to become a board member? I've had a strong interest in sustainable agriculture and community gardening since my days at Rod ... Read more

Meet Nicole Folino, Agency Relations Coordinator

October 7, 2021 7:55 pm


Staff Spotlight Interview with Nicole Folino By: Joey Marcacci, Summer Marketing & Development Intern Nicole Folino, Agency Relations Coordinator, joined Second Harvest this past May. However, Nicole is no stranger to Community Action Lehigh Valley - she’s worked in various programs ranging from volunteer driven tax preparation to small business assistance. Early in the pandemic, Nicole regularly volunteered at the food bank and instantly knew it was a perfect fit for her ... Read more

The Seed Farm: Meet Board Member, Brian Moyer!

September 22, 2021 4:07 pm


The Seed Farm | Meet our Advisory Board! In the Spotlight: Brian Moyer Check out our Q&A with Seed Farm Advisory Board member, Brian Moyer! Meet our Advisory Board When did you originally join the board? Three years ago, 2018 Why did you choose to become a board member? I was board chair for The Seed Farm. When The Seed Farm became a program under Second Harvest I was asked to represent The Seed Farm on the Second Harvest Advisory board. What is your favorite part abo ... Read more

Seed Farm Spotlight: Michelle Wagner

September 15, 2021 4:31 pm


Seed Farm Spotlight  Interview with Michelle Wagner  By: Joey Marcacci, Summer 2021 Development Intern Check out our Q&A with the founder of Rise & Root Farm, Michelle Wagner!    When did you start with the Seed Farm?  I started in the summer of 2020 as one of the CSA workshare volunteers. I helped harvest and prep the CSA bags for the CSA program. When I was a volunteer last year, I learned about the incubator Farmer program, and was able to do that this ye ... Read more

In the Spotlight: Valerie Lane, Secretary

August 4, 2021 2:12 pm


Meet our Advisory Board! In the Spotlight: Valerie Lane, Secretary By: Joey Marcacci, Summer 2021 Development Intern Check out our Q&A with Advisory Board Secretary, Valerie Lane!   When did you originally join the board? About 8 years ago. This is my second time serving on the board. I run a food pantry in the City of Allentown, right by Muhlenberg College at Central Elementary School in downtown Allentown. I’d been on the board previously, and then my husband and I ... Read more

In the Spotlight: Lisa Higgins, Vice Chair

June 28, 2021 4:17 pm


Meet our Advisory Board! By: Joey Marcacci   Check out our Q&A with Advisory Board Vice Chair, Lisa Higgins!   When did you originally join the board? 2018, I’m a pretty recent addition to the board.   Why did you choose to become a board member? Before my career in theatre, I started my professional life as an agricultural journalist. I have a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Natural Resources Communications from Michigan State University, a ... Read more

Meet Chris Cassidy, Senior Planner & Compliance Manager

June 4, 2021 7:17 pm


Chris Cassidy is our Senior Planner & Compliance Manager for our parent company, Community Action Lehigh Valley. We are incredibly lucky to have Chris assigned as the planner for Second Harvest!   Learn more about what Chris does for the food bank and how she spends her time outside the agency.     What does your job entail? I am a part of the planning department at our parent agency, Community Action Lehigh Valley. I’m the planner assigned to Second Harves ... Read more

In the Spotlight: Betsy Storey-Bono, Chair

May 6, 2021 4:26 pm


Meet our Advisory Board! By: Joey Marcacci Check out our Q&A with advisory board chair Betsy Storey-Bono!   When did you originally join the board? About 5 years ago.   Why did you choose to become a board member? I really wanted to use part of my free time to do something that puts back into the community. Social justice and issues around food security have always been meaningful to me, so I reached out to Alan Jennings (Executive Director of Community Action) ... Read more

Giving the Gift of Your Time, Danielle Luccese

March 29, 2021 5:42 pm


Danielle has been volunteering at Second Harvest for two years, and is a genuine bright spot; always bringing her positivity and dedication. Check out our Q&A with Danielle!   What do you help with at Second Harvest?  I started out sorting and packing up food that was donated every other Friday.  Currently I volunteer every Friday and I assist with filing and running Free Fridays.    What is your favorite thing about volunteering at Second Harvest?  The pe ... Read more

Big welcome to Brandon, Food Sourcing Coordinator

March 1, 2021 2:50 pm


Join us in welcoming Brandon Campos to the Second Harvest team! We are very excited to have him on board and to introduce this new role of our Food Sourcing Coordinator. Check out our Q&A with Brandon! What were you doing before coming to Second Harvest? Prior to coming to Second Harvest I worked for a health care network as a medical equipment technician. While I worked there, I helped patients by bringing their equipment to them and educating them how to operate and mainta ... Read more

Get to know Rob, Warehouse Manager

February 4, 2021 8:50 pm


Get to know the man behind the scenes! Check out our quick Q&A with Rob:   What were you doing before coming to Second Harvest? I was working for a sanitation company who cleaned up at a meat plant. Lost the contract there and continued to work helping others by making sure they arrived at their designated destination working for Uber. What does your job entail? My job entails communicating with staff and agencies to assure we are all working together as best as possib ... Read more

Welcome to the team Khushboo, Nutrition Educator

January 11, 2021 9:34 pm


Welcome, Khushboo Jain, our newest nutrition educator! Check out our Q&A with Khushboo and get to know her.   What were you doing before coming to Second Harvest? I was working part time at Drexel University with the Center for Nutrition and Performance in the Nutrition Department as an Assistant Manager.   What does your job entail? Working with local food pantries to enable them to be provide “healthier” foods to their clients through environmental changes i ... Read more

New Year, Healthier You!

January 8, 2021 2:58 pm


3 habits to start the New Year right! -by, Khushboo Jain   1. Avoid food based Resolutions  It is common for us to make resolutions that revolve around food around the new year. While there is nothing wrong with the intention, unfortunately, most resolutions often end up being restrictive to foods! “Cut out carbs,” “No more dessert,” “no more sugar,” “No more meats,” etc. Instead, try adding nutritious foods to your diet! Try adding one of these Mediterrane ... Read more

MERRY ‘NEW’TRITION

December 7, 2020 7:38 pm


3 HABITS TO END THE YEAR STRONG - by, Khushboo Jain   1. ONE POT COOKING During this pandemic and the holiday season it can be hard to get to the gym! Here are some ways how you can keep active during this time of the year: Dance: whether it's the game Just Dance or a set of your favorite songs to dance to, dance along! Try a new exercise video online! Nature walks with your family/friends Do a jump-n-jacks relay race Get a deck of cards and create a list of exerc ... Read more

Welcoming Lauren, Development Coordinator

December 4, 2020 8:35 pm


Lauren Matthews joined our team in October. She brings a fresh spirit and can-do attitude, and is a great addition to our development team! We caught up with her for a quick Q&A. What were you doing before coming to Second Harvest? Prior to Second Harvest, I was the Marketing & Community Engagement Director for Civic Theatre of Allentown. I created and managed content for the website, social media platforms, and email campaigns. I also worked closely with media partners, sponsors a ... Read more

A Warm Welcome to Cara, Volunteer Coordinator

November 9, 2020 3:00 pm


Cara Przybylowicz joined our team in August. She brings ample experience in everything nonprofit volunteer-related. She will manage our volunteer efforts and ensure our volunteers have a meaningful and fun experience. We caught up with Cara for a Q&A What were you doing before coming to Second Harvest? Previously, I worked for Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware counties as the Volunteer Manager for five years. I grew the opportunities to include multiple programs and events ... Read more

The FeedLV Initiative: Second Harvest Operations During the COVID-19 Crisis

June 5, 2020 12:13 am


With the continuing spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Pennsylvania’s charitable food network has been adopting new policies and practices to ensure the health and safety of individuals and the food it delivers. We are taking the following precautionary steps: All external visitors, except for previously scheduled appointments, are prevented from entering the facility until further notice. We will not be accepting community food drive donations until further notice. We enc ... Read more

Fighting Hunger In The Lehigh Valley: Local Advertising Agency And Outdoor Companies Band Together During Pandemic

May 6, 2020 2:34 am


ALLENTOWN, Pa – Recognizing the growing need to address hunger in the Lehigh Valley for families in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Keenan-Nagle Advertising, Inc. has partnered with Adams Outdoor, Lamar Advertising Company and Tri Outdoor, Inc. to help create awareness of the problem and give people a way to help fight hunger in the Lehigh Valley. Outdoor boards across the Lehigh Valley will encourage members of the community to help feed their neighbors by visiting FeedLV.org and m ... Read more

The Ongoing Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis

April 28, 2020 3:15 pm


Our network of food pantries is feeding more people than ever. Many people have lost their jobs and are without a paycheck. They are turning to our network to keep food on the table. At Second Harvest, we are working around the clock to make sure that food distribution does not stop and gets out to the people who need it. We have started packing emergency boxes in our warehouse – it’s a box of staple items meant to be a 1-2 week supply of food. The boxes are easily distributed with lim ... Read more

Response to COVID – 19

April 9, 2020 7:52 pm


We’ve been moved beyond words by the outpouring of support for our COVID-19 response efforts. Whether you’ve joined our support efforts in the past three weeks, or plan to take action in the days and weeks to come: THANK YOU! But, still we need you now, more than ever. We are ramping up purchases of delivery-ready pantry staples, and packing emergency boxes in our warehouse. Our 200+ partner agencies are moving mountains to safely provide food to families and individuals, and are ... Read more

The Seed Farm Merges with Second Harvest

June 27, 2019 9:00 am


More Farming, Better Food, Healthier Community   Americans have become increasingly sensitive to our fragile environment and its relationship to the sustainability of farms. The Seed Farm in Lehigh County was ahead of its time in recognizing the symbiosis of a healthy environment and well-run farming businesses. The importance of that symbiosis applies to every one of us, whether we purchase our food without the need to clip coupons or we are relegated to getting our food from a foo ... Read more

Concannon Miller’s Betsy Storey-Bono is elected as Chair of Second Harvest Board

June 17, 2019 4:36 pm


Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania is pleased to announce that the Food Bank’s Advisory Board elected Betsy Storey-Bono as Board Chair. Storey-Bono joined the Advisory Board in May 2016 and succeeds Michael Tukeva, President and CEO of Pocono Mountains United Way as Chair. Tukeva joined the Second Harvest Advisory Board in March 2013 and was elected Chair in January 2018. Betsy Storey-Bono is the Director of Business Development and Marketing for Concan ... Read more

The Coolest Guy at Second Harvest

February 12, 2019 2:42 pm


Q&A with Dave Cool, Agency Relations Coordinator   Dave has worked at Second Harvest for more than ten years, starting out on our warehouse crew. When he’s not on the job, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, and coaching his daughter’s softball team. We caught up with him for a Q&A about his role in the agency. Q: What does your job entail? A: As agency relations coordinator, my main job is to see that each of our 200 nonprofit member agencies are train ... Read more

Red, White, & Blue…and Orange

February 12, 2019 2:32 pm


We’ve grown accustomed to the color of bright orange. That’s because Team Depot, Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force, has become a staple here in our warehouse, helping us to sort food and pack boxes, and always doing so in a signature orange shirt! The Home Depot has also supplied funds that have helped us launch our MilitaryShare program. Shannon Brown, Regional Services Manager, is proud: “The Home Depot truly lives and breathes our values from the top leaders down. We are ... Read more

Feeding Military Families

February 12, 2019 2:16 pm


Second Harvest’s new MilitaryShare program, launched in January, provides dry goods, fresh produce, dairy, and lean meat to veteran, reserve, and active duty military members and their families at sites across Lehigh, Northampton, and Monroe counties. It is a true veterans-helping-veterans initiative; many of the boxes are packed by volunteers from military and veteran organizations. One in every five families who use a food pantry within the Feeding America network has a veteran in the home. ... Read more

GIANT Food Stores Donates $216K

July 3, 2018 8:13 pm


Second Harvest Food Bank can now serve hundreds more children through its Backpack Buddies Program To celebrate its 95th year in business, GIANT Food Stores will be making a big impact within its footprint communities. Christopher Brand, Director of External Communications and Community Relations for GIANT, announced that the grocer will be donating $216,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania’s Backpack Buddies Program. Mr. Brand says, “Being in the ... Read more

Second Harvest Food Bank Receives Superior Rating

March 9, 2018 4:59 pm


Food safety at the Foodbank is top in the nation Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania has received a superior rating from the American Institute of Baking (AIB) International. Second Harvest scored 905 out of a possible 1,000 points – the highest score the Foodbank has ever achieved. AIB International offers the foremost food handling and food safety accreditation. AIB International was founded in 1919 as a technology and information transfer center for ... Read more

Keeping it Fresh

February 20, 2018 2:01 pm


Our goal is not only to provide food to our neighbors in need, but to provide the freshest and healthiest foods. In order to do so, we purchased our first refrigerated truck in 2017, (more…)

Udderly Fantastic!

February 20, 2018 1:59 pm


Fresh milk is one of the best things we can provide to a family. It’s loaded with vitamins and nutrients essential for the healthy growth and development of a kid’s body and mind. Milk is very seldom donated, and since it isn’t inexpensive, we were never able to offer it to our member agencies. This all changed in 2016, when we began our Fill a Glass with Hope™ fresh milk program. We are now licensed as a charitable milk sub-dealer, meaning we can purchase milk from dairies at a reduc ... Read more

Welcoming New Board Chair, Michael Tukeva

February 20, 2018 1:51 pm


In January, we honored long-time advisory board member and then chair, Tony Muir for his 10 years of service.  Tony couldn’t have been more dedicated to the growth and well-being of the Food Bank.  He was committed to ensuring that Second Harvest was a healthy and efficiently-run organization. We will surely miss his guidance and leadership. Tony’s last act as board chair was to welcome Michael Tukeva, Executive Director of Pocono Alliance, to the role. Pocono Alliance is a non-profit t ... Read more

Farm Fresh and Never Wasted

February 20, 2018 1:48 pm


Growing food from the earth is hard and dirty work. George and Annette Cuzzolino, the owners of Casa Bianca Farm in Mount Bethel, started selling their vegetables on a card table on the side of the road 10 years ago using a coffee can honor system. From there they graduated to a roadside stand and eventually their operation evolved into a fully-fledged Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Now they sell their products wholesale and offer pick-your-own blueberries by appointment. George and A ... Read more

Fighting Childhood Hunger: Welcome, Meredith Mecca

January 2, 2018 6:04 am


We are pleased to introduce Meredith Mecca, our newest Nutrition Educator. Meredith’s special focus will be on childhood nutrition. We are lucky to have her thanks to a generous grant from the Our Family Foundation of GIANT Food Stores. Meredith comes to us from an extensive background of working with both children and adults in educational and volunteer settings. Meredith tells us:  "I am passionate about nutrition, particularly in children.  Having spent many years teaching, I have s ... Read more

Tropical Storm Harvey Disaster Relief Response

August 30, 2017 7:31 pm


Second Harvest Food Bank is a proud Member of the Feeding America national network of Food Banks. As a network, we also respond to disasters and emergency situations. Right now, our brother and sister Food Banks in the Gulf Coast Region need all of the support they can get as they serve thousands of people impacted by Harvey. Click here for an update on the Harvey Disaster Response, and to find out how you can help. Our heart goes out to the residents of the Gulf Coast as they overcome this d ... Read more

PASS the Peas, Please

April 14, 2017 9:40 pm


Last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture rolled out a new program aimed at putting healthy and fresh food grown or raised by Pennsylvania farmers and producers on the plates of those who typically can’t afford it.  The inaugural year of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS) was a success for all partners involved, from our local family farmers to the families we serve who are struggling to make ends meet. Through PASS, the PA Department of Agriculture provides th ... Read more

First Ever Food Truck Food Drive is Great Success!

April 14, 2017 9:13 pm


The first ever Food Truck Food Drive was a huge success! WFMZ and Dorney Park teamed up to collect thousands of pounds of food for the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley.  Hundreds of cars came to Dorney Park to drop off non-perishable donations, and stayed for lunch from some local favorite food trucks. The grand total came to 9,543 pounds! All together, that equates to nearly 8,000 meals! Read more here.

Second Harvest Food Bank Just Got a Whole Lot Cooler

April 13, 2017 3:13 am


Refrigerated Truck Allows Food Bank to Distribute Perishable Foods to Those in Need Because healthy food is expensive, when times are tight, the first items to be eliminated from a family’s grocery list are inevitably the most nutritious. Out of necessity, boxes of pasta, macaroni and cheese, and canned soups are chosen over fresh apples, chicken breast, and milk.  As a result, many lower-income families experience nutrition related health problems. It is the mission of the Second Harv ... Read more