There’s a new director at the Palmerton Food Pantry.

Joe Murphy’s mission is to build upon the foundation that’s already in place.

Murphy replaces Ken Kaiser, who ran the pantry for the past 10 years.

“Ken Kaiser, and the current staff of volunteers have been working together for a long time and have laid a solid foundation for our continued success,” Murphy said. “My role as the new director is simple; grow our momentum, our reach, our customer base and our impact within the community.”

Kaiser said he enjoyed his time running the pantry for the past decade.

“I thank the Lord, to all the volunteers,” Kaiser said. “This new blood is excellent; it’s all positive.”

Kaiser said he has no doubt that the pantry will continue to thrive.

“It will be helping a lot of people,” he said. “I’d like to thank everybody for all the support over the years.”

Murphy said he’s been with the pantry for about seven to eight months.

“Ken had asked me to take over the pantry back in October,” he said. “Initially, I thought he was kidding as there are volunteers who had been there for a long time. One of the volunteers that has been there for quite some time was the first choice, but he did not want to run the pantry.”

Murphy said he found the pantry because he was initially looking to volunteer at a soup kitchen, but there were none in the area.

He said he helped to start and run a soup kitchen in Monroe County before moving to Palmerton.

“I was surprised to learn that other than some area churches serving a community meal once a month, there are no actual soup kitchens in Carbon County,” Murphy said. “That search led me to ask some neighbors and others I knew in Palmerton, and that’s how I found the pantry. Once I started going to the pantry and got to know the volunteers and the pantry customers, I knew I would never stop helping at the pantry.”

Murphy said that only 21% of all families who qualify to receive assistance are getting assistance.

“We must do better,” he said. “We must get the word out.”

Murphy shared his vision for the pantry.

“I plan to reach out to, and work closely with the schools, the public library, community organizations and the business community as a whole,” he said. “The reactions and support I’m already receiving is outstanding and heartwarming, and we’ve only just started.”

Murphy said the pantry is always seeking new volunteers, and that anyone interested may visit palmertonpantry.org and click on the volunteer button.