The Panther Valley Blueprint Community team will again be supporting the food pantry at the Panther Valley Elementary School in Nesquehoning on Wednesday.

Team members will be distributing holiday hams that they purchased through the Second Harvest Food Bank, which supplies the food to the pantry for the monthly distribution.

Last month, the team distributed insulated grocery totes to each family, and will again offer totes for those who did not receive one.

The Blueprint team also purchased heavy-duty, rolling utility carts to transport food from staging areas to the main distribution area, as well as tables and a take-a-ticket system to aid in the lines at the distribution.

The team also pledged its support for the pantry for the next 36 months and beyond by covering all the food delivery fees.

“I think I speak for our entire team when I say that we got so much more out of this experience than we invested,” said John Dowling, chair of the Panther Valley’s Blueprint team.

“It was eye opening to see how impactful and needed this pantry has been and continues to be for the residents of Panther Valley who face the worry, stress and anxiety associated with food insecurity,” he said.

He also thanked all of the participants who completed the community assessment survey at various engagement events around Panther Valley.

The team collected 70 surveys from participants waiting in line.

“The information they shared about their community has provided our team with a unique perspective, and the insights they shared will be invaluable as we begin drafting our redevelopment plan for Panther Valley,” Dowling said. “We truly need and appreciate their ideas and perspectives.”

Blueprint team members encourage residents to follow them on their Facebook page, Panther Valley Blueprint Community, and webpage, PantherValleyBlueprint.org.