Overview
- The 8th annual Truck-full of Hope opened Nov. 4 at Diehl Chevrolet in Hermitage and will collect non-perishable donations through Dec. 12.
- Food bank leaders say they now feed about 13,000 county residents each month and are fielding roughly 100 daily calls for emergency assistance from first-time seekers.
- Less than two weeks before the kickoff, the board approved an emergency plan to deliver 100,000 meals to support member pantries.
- The organization warns that a potential pause in SNAP benefits and broader budget standoffs could strain local resources, with SNAP delivering about $366 million monthly to roughly 2 million Pennsylvanians and potentially affecting more than 19,000 county residents.
- Donors are asked to avoid glass and prioritize canned vegetables and meats, peanut butter, pasta and sauce, and cereal, as the food bank also runs a county-wide Together We Can Food and Funds Drive across its nearly 40-agency network.