Area Agencies Offer Free Thanksgiving
Holiday Meals, Food Donations
News Release: November 14, 2006
Contact: Janice Osborne, director-Communications and Marketing; (610) 865-4400, ext. 262

Valley Wide Help, an information and referral service of the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, has compiled a list of area agencies and organizations offering assistance to families this Thanksgiving holiday in the greater Lehigh Valley. For the most up-to-date information, call Red Cross Valley Wide Help at (610) 865-4400.

Thanksgiving holiday meals are available at:

Allentown:

Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church (Everlasting Life Ministries), 224 North Sixth Street, Allentown; (610) 434-1477 or (610) 776-4009; Saturday, Nov. 18, 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

New Generation Day Care and Pennsylvania School of Business, Fourth and Hamilton streets, Allentown; (610) 434-2456; Wednesday, Nov. 22, from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

St. James A.M.E. Zion Church, 410 Union Street, Allentown; (610) 439-9408 or (610) 435-0480; Saturday, Nov. 18, from noon-3 p.m.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Fellowship Hall, 36 South Eighth Street, Allentown; (610) 435-9065; Thanksgiving Day, from noon-1 p.m. (Doors open at 11 a.m.)

Bethlehem:

New Bethany Ministries, Mollard Hospitality Center, 333 Fourth Street, Bethlehem; (610) 691-5602; Thanksgiving Day, from noon-1 p.m. (Prayers at 11:30 a.m.)

Trinity SK, 44 East Market Street, Bethlehem; (610) 867-4741; Thanksgiving Day, from noon- 1 p.m. (for residents of Bethlehem’s north side)

Bowmanstown:

Faith Alive United Methodist Church, 678 Pine Street, Bowmanstown; Saturday, Nov. 18, from 1 p.m.-3 p.m.; (Doors open at 12:30 p.m.) Transportation available for Carbon County residents; call (610) 852-2716, (610) 377-3818 or (570) 386-5586 to reserve a ride.

Easton:

Trinity Episcopal Church, (610) 837-4613 (ask for Jan) or (610) 253-0792; Saturday, Nov. 18, noon-1 p.m. Dinner to be held at St. Michael’s Church, 219 Spring Garden Street, Easton. No reservations required.

Palmerton:

St. John’s Episcopal Church, 365 Lafayette Avenue, Palmerton; (610) 826-2611; Thanksgiving Day, from noon-2 p.m.

Slatington:

St. John’s United Church of Christ, 15 South Second Street, Slatington; (610) 767-5554; Thanksgiving Day, from noon-2 p.m. (Doors open at 11:30 a.m.)

Tamaqua:

Tamaqua Salvation Army, 105 West Broad Street, Tamaqua; (570) 668-0410; Thanksgiving Day, noon; residents of Carbon and Schuylkill counties only.

Holiday food distribution is available at:

Northern Lehigh Food Bank, (610) 767-9525; Saturday, Nov. 18, from 10 a.m.-noon; holiday food distribution for residents residing within the Northern Lehigh School District and immediate surrounding area such as New Tripoli and Germansville.

American Red Cross Valley Wide Help is a free information and referral service offering direct provision of information about social and human services. Trained information specialists use a comprehensive computerized database of nearly 2,000 referral sources to identify specific organizations that may be of assistance to area residents. Accessibility of information is ensured through the availability of six dedicated telephone numbers, bilingual services to Spanish-speaking callers and a text telephone system for the hearing impaired.

Calls to Valley Wide Help are answered Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After 4:30 p.m. and on weekends, calls are answered through a voice mail system that offers a menu of referrals to address callers’ needs in an emergency situation. For non-emergencies, the voice mail system offers callers the option of leaving a message and requesting a return call.

Valley Wide Help can be directly reached at: Allentown: (610) 435-7111; Bethlehem: (610) 691-8711; Easton: (610) 252-4357; Slate Belt: (610) 588-5512; Spanish: (610) 866-1089; TTY/TTD: (610) 866-0131.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training; Lifeline, a personal response service for seniors; and emergency relief to more than 23,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents. For more information about the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.