Area Organizations Offer Free Thanksgiving Holiday Meals, Food Donations
News Release: November 13, 2007
Contact: Janice Osborne, Director-Communications and Marketing; American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley (610) 865-4400, ext. 262; pager (610) 508-4378

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 these locations and dates:

Allentown

Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church (Everlasting Life Ministries), 224 North Sixth Street, Allentown; 610-776-4009; Saturday, Nov. 17, at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

New Generation Day Care, 333 Hamilton Street, Allentown; 610-434-2456; Friday, Nov. 23, 5-8 p.m.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 36 South Eighth Street, Allentown; 610-435-9065; Thanksgiving Day, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 1421 West Turner Street, Allentown; 610-439-8821; Thanksgiving Day: services at 10 a.m.; dinner from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.


Bethlehem

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

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


Bowmanstown

Faith Alive United Methodist Church, 678 Pine Street, Bowmanstown; Saturday, Nov. 17, 1-3 p.m. Transportation available for Carbon County residents. Call 610-852-2716, 610-377-1471 or 570-386-5586 to reserve a ride.


Easton

St. Michael’s Church, 219 Spring Garden Street, Easton; Saturday, Nov. 17, noon-1 p.m. (Sponsored by Trinity Episcopal Church, 610-253-0792.)


Palmerton

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


Slatington

St. John’s United Church of Christ, 15 South Second Street, Slatington; 610-767-5554; Thanksgiving Day, noon-2 p.m.


Tamaqua

Tamaqua Salvation Army, 105 West Broad Street, Tamaqua; 570-668-0410; Thanksgiving Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.


Holiday food distribution is available at:

Northern Lehigh Food Bank, 610-767-9525; Saturday, Nov. 17, 10 a.m.-noon. Holiday food distribution for residents residing within the Northern Lehigh School District and/or Upper Lehigh County areas such as New Tripoli and Germansville.


American Red Cross Valley Wide Help is a free information and referral service offering social and human services information. 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 680,000 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.