Area Organizations Offer Free <br>Holiday Meals, Gifts and Events

Area Organizations Offer Free
Holiday Meals, Gifts and Events

News Release: December 8, 2011
Contact: Janice Osborne, Regional Communication Officer
American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262; pager (610) 830-9771

Valley Wide Help, an information and referral service of the American Red Cross, has compiled a list of area organizations providing meals, gifts and other events to greater Lehigh Valley families this season. For the most up-to-date information, call Valley Wide Help at 610-435-7111 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.

Allentown

Allentown YMCA and YWCA, 425 South 15th Street, Allentown; 610-434-9333. Christmas Day dinner from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; call to make a reservation. Santa and gifts for the children.
Creative Minds Day Care Academy, 950 North Sixth Street, Allentown; 610-433-1999. Christmas Day dinner from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; call to make a reservation.
Everlasting Life Ministries, Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church, 224 North Sixth Street, Allentown; 610-776-4009. Dinner on Dec. 17 at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Ecumenical Soup Kitchen/Catholic Charities, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 179 Chew Street, Allentown; 610-435-1541. Christmas Day lunch from 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Lehigh County Conference of Church's Soup Kitchen, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Fellowship Hall, 36 South Eighth Street, Allentown; 484-664-2994. Christmas lunch on Dec. 27, from noon-2 p.m.

Bethlehem

New Bethany Ministries, 333 Fourth Street, Bethlehem; 610-691-5602. Christmas Day brunch from 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Easton

Jacob's Christmas, Trinity Episcopal Church, The Third Street Alliance, 41 North Third Street, Easton. Christmas Day worship at 10 a.m.; Christmas Day dinner from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Gift bag distribution and book distribution for children.
Trinity Episcopal Church, The Third Street Alliance, 41 North Third Street, Easton (use Third Street front door.); 610-253-0792. Lunch on Saturday, Dec. 17, from noon-1 p.m.

Other Areas

Northern Lehigh Food Bank, 610-767-9525. Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m.-noon. Basket of holiday food distribution for residents residing within the Northern Lehigh School District and/or Upper Lehigh County areas such as New Tripoli and Germansville.

Spirit of the Lehigh Valley, Holiday Inn Conference Center, I-78 and Route 100 South, Breinigsville; 610-391-1000. 19th "annual" free Christmas Eve dinner buffet beginning at 11 a.m., including holiday entertainment and a visit from Santa and much more. Call to volunteer your time, talent or treasure.

Free bus pick-up. To reserve a seat and receive an invitation, contact one of the following agencies: Allentown: Salvation Army, 610-432-0129; Bethlehem: New Bethany Ministries, 610-691-5602; Salvation Army, 610-867-4681; Victory House, 610-691-3373; Easton: Boys and Girls Club of Easton, 610-253-5846; Salvation Army, 610-258-9531.
NOTE: Each individual or family must have an invitation to present to the bus driver and/or at the entrance to the Holiday Inn Conference Center.

For more information, contact Valley Wide Help at 610-435-7111.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross helped more than 92,300 people through preparedness and training classes, military support, senior lifesaving programs and services, emergency relief, information and referral and other education and outreach programs. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. 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.