When Arlene Derr stocks the sidewalk food pantry at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tamaqua, she often sees people waiting.

And when Pastor Rick Clemson helps distribute food from the American Primitive Methodist Church pantry, he hears how some wouldn’t be able to pay their bills without the helping hand.

“We are feeding around 650 families per month,” Clemson said. “It is on the rise.”

The 13th Annual Tamaqua Area Hunger Campaign is underway this month, and is holding a number of events to raise funds and food for Tamaqua’s four pantries.

The campaign’s community soup sale, Dine Out Against Hunger event and Community Hunger Walk benefit the pantries at Zion Evangelical and American Primitive Methodist, along with a by-request pantry at Trinity United Church of Christ, and a monthly food program from Stokes Ministries.

Organizations, churches and businesses make soups for the sale, which is accepting orders until Sunday, and community groups and others pitch in with food items and donations.

Last year’s hunger campaign raised just over $17,000 and collected 85 boxes of food for the pantries. This year’s goal is $18,000 and 125 boxes.

“The campaign is an excellent example of many people from different churches, different backgrounds, all working together for a common good,” said George Taylor, campaign planner. “The world would be a much better place if more of that kind of cooperation took place.”

At Clemson’s church on Hunter Street, distributions are held twice a month.

“We are seeing families of all ages,” Clemson said. “They are from a large number of communities in Schuylkill, Luzerne and Carbon counties.”

Derr, too, sees young and old, and people from all walks of life, at Zion’s walk-up People’s Pantry.

“Some are raising grandchildren; some have pets they’ve had for years and are considered ‘family.’ An older woman in a wheelchair said she is so grateful because she can’t get to the store in winter, but she can get to our food box,” Derr shared. “A young man who comes to the pantry is so respectful and only takes two items. When he comes, he sometimes brings his dog. He thanks me when I see him because I always put zip lock bags of dog food and cat food in the pantry. His dog is all he has.”

Others visit to drop off food — even if they are on fixed incomes.

“They feel like I do, that it’s what God wants us to do,” Derr explained.

Clemson said it the pantry gets support from businesses and people throughout the year, along with the 30-plus volunteers who thanked for helping with the busy distributions.

“We get a lot of thanks from most people and a large number tell us that they would not be able to stretch their income to cover the bills if we would stop,” Clemson said.

The hunger issue is even on the minds of area youths, according to recent studies.

In Schuylkill County, the 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey found that 24% of school students were “worried they would run out of food at home due to money issues.” Another 11.7% of them reported that they had skipped a meal because their family didn’t have enough money for food.

The biennial survey was conducted among sixth, eighth, tenth and twelfth grade students from 11 county school districts, including Tamaqua Area, along with the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 and the Gillingham Charter School.

And the 2024 Community Needs Assessment survey by Schuylkill Community Action also showed how county residents were experiencing trouble accessing food.

The survey, distributed to local human service providers, clients and other county residents, found that while 89% of respondents can access enough food to feed their entire household, 11% cannot.

In households that use food services, 39.5% reported that they use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits; 35.3% use food pantries and 13.6% use free or reduced school lunch programs.

“The significant use of SNAP, food pantries, and school lunch programs demonstrates the crucial role these services play in supporting food security within the community,” according to the report published in August.

The Tamaqua campaign is accepting orders for soups through midnight Sunday at https://tamaquahunger.tacp.info/. Orders will be distributed from 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 26 at Trinity UCC’s Founders Hall. Those purchasing a quart of soup will also get a chance to win one of several gift certificates to Tamaqua area restaurants.

Dine Out Against Hunger events will be held Oct. 23 at the Beacon Diner and Two Kings Restaurant, both in Hometown; and on Oct. 24 at Tommy’s Italian Specialty Shop in Tamaqua. A portion of proceeds will be turned over to the campaign.

Organizations collecting food donations can contact campaign volunteers Paulette Lacrosse at 570-926-4698 or Paul Dodson at 272-208-0034 for pickup.

The Tamaqua Community Hunger Walk will be held beginning at 2 p.m. Oct. 27 from the Tamaqua Arts Center, 125 Pine St. Registration is at 1:30 p.m. Those planning to participate or needing more information can contact Glenn Fritzinger at 484-560-8211.

The campaign is part of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership and Tamaqua Area Faith Fellowship Network.

The hunger campaign is a project of the Tamaqua Area Faith Fellowship Network, a 501 3C organization of lay leaders from area churches which operates under the umbrella of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership.