A ministry of 15 Palmerton Area churches has a new home.

On Saturday, the Christian Action Council of Palmerton Area Churches (CACPAC) relocated to the basement of St. John's Towamensing Lutheran Church at 2915 Fireline Road in Palmerton.Charlie Silliman, pantry coordinator for CACPAC since Sept. of 1999, said he hopes the move is permanent."We might be a little cramped," Silliman said. "But, it was the space we had available."Sandra Greenzweig, a CACPAC volunteer, said every effort will be made to ensure the move goes as smooth as possible."We know that his location is going to be inconvenient for some of our clients who can't drive," Greenzweig said. "We're going to be contacting Carbon County Transit for adding this location to their route the third Friday of each month."Deborah McLean, pastor of Salem United Methodist Church along Forest Inn Road in Aquashicola, said"We're blessed to have a place," McLean said. "It's our second move in five months."Palmerton Boy Scout Troop 20 helped CACPAC move its supplies, according to troop Scoutmaster James Schneck.Schneck said the troop transported 12 shelves, four refrigerators, two desks and three pick-up truck loads of food from its most recent base at the former Golden Key Market at the corner of Fourth and Delaware Avenue.Silliman said the food pantry that was held this past Friday served 140 families, and added that "we're continuing to get more people coming to the pantry."He said the pantry used to receive EFSP funds, but was told that in 2011-12, Carbon County will not be eligible because its poverty level and unemployment rate are below the required levels.Silliman, who said CACPAC receives donations from local boy scout and girl scout troops, noted that last year, the pantry averaged 150 families per month, or 385 people.In June, CACPAC moved into the former Golden Key Market after it was told in May that it had until July 1 to vacate from its then headquarters at the Blue Mountain Community Service Center, located at 217 Franklin Avenue.A physician, who has a practice at the Blue Mountain Community Service Center, agreed to purchase that building, which currently houses physicians offices, a community center, and an adult day care.Silliman said the pantry started sometime in the 1960s, at which time it served between seven to 10 families.The pantry's next collection date is Oct. 21. Once a month, the pantry gets an order from the Second Harvest Food Bank, in Allentown, as well as the Country Harvest Food Market in Palmerton.