OUR PROGRAMS
Through our 6 programs and 30 agencies, we serve over 2,300 households in Mercer County each month. If you or someone you know is in need of food assistance, please call us at 724-981-0353. We will connect you to your nearest food pantry.
The Backpack Program is a nationwide program of Feeding America. Locally, the program serves 900 elementary and middle school children in 10 school districts throughout Mercer County. The BackPack program is designed to send food home for weekends and long holidays during the school year.
Harvest Helpings provides fresh year-around produce to food insecure households through the Mid-Atlantic Regional Cooperative and PASS (Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System), as well as local farmers. Fresh produce adds a higher nutritional content to the list of typical shelf-stable food items offered at pantries.
The PA Senior Box program is a nationwide, federally funded program to assist low-income seniors to receive the food they need. The PA Senior serves 450 senior citizens at 27 partner agency sites across Mercer County. To qualify, seniors must have an income at or below 130% of the federal poverty level based on household size.
MilitaryShare provides 9 annual private food distributions for veterans and military personnel and their families. at specially designated sites for veterans, active duty, and inactive military personnel and their families who are struggling to make ends meet. In 2022, the program had a 90% increase in participation, serving over 300 families per distribution.
The Mobile Pantry program provides access to food to low-income families and residents who live in rural and underserved areas of Mercer County. This program is a method of direct distribution by CFWMC born out of the pandemic as an additional avenue to reach our friends and neighbors facing hunger. Our refrigerated truck delivers food to a pre-determined distribution site within communities that do not have direct access to a food pantry or soup kitchen.
The program is operating in Hermitage, Mercer and Fredonia. CFWMC trucks currently travel to Charleston United Methodist Church in Hermitage on the third Friday of each month, Mercer United Methodist Church in Mercer on the first Wednesday of each month and Fredonia United Methodist Church on the second Thursday of each month.
Myron’s Meal Mobile is a retrofitted school bus that provides hot, nutritious meals to children in their families by traveling to low-income neighborhoods during the summer months. Myron’s Meal Mobile made its maiden voyage in the summer of 2021 and has since served 10,000 meals to our neighbors facing hunger. Check out our Facebook page to see if Myron’s Meal Mobile will be visiting your neighborhood this year!