Conestoga Valley townlively.com
JANUARY 10, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LX • NO 3
Food donations needed CVCCS works to alleviate hunger BY ANN MEAD ASH
level. They are working people who usually rent their homes, on B ar rett , director of and the rising cost of groceries Conestoga Valley Christian has pushed them to a place of Community Services (CVCCS), food insecurity. “We want to has seen an unprecedented increase provide three meals a day, so in need in the area. “Since July our we (talk to) clients about how clientele has doubled,” reported to cook for themselves so they Barrett near the end of 2023. don’t eat out,” explained Bar“Food (in our choice rett, who pointed pantry) is just flying out that volunteers off the shelves.” who shop one-on“The goal for us Although donaone with clients is always tions typically are well versed in increase between self-sustainability.” encouraging ways Thanksgiving and to combine hearty Christmas, the soups with rice rising need has resulted in gaps and meat. “ We are tr ying to and the request for particular encourage sustaining meals,” food items. “We give away more said Barrett. “We give out meat, than 200 boxes of cereal a month,” and with the meat you can be said Barrett, who added that the creative.” CVCCS Food Bank also hands out Presently, Barrett does not see approximately 100 cans of soup the need changing in the near and 35 boxes of crackers weekly. future. “There are no signs of this According to Barrett, most slowing down. We are anticipatCVCCS clients are living just ing the need to be just as great above or just below the poverty (going forward),” he said. “Our Jon Barrett, director of Conestoga Valley Christian Community Services, is seeing an increased need for food
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Hope Inspire Love now has headquarters to fight human trafficking It’s about the organization. It’s about the mission. It’s about the people. It’s not about bricks and mortar. But a building provides the structure that can bring everything together. Hope Inspire Love has a new home. It’s a space that the local human-trafficking opposer can call its own.
“This is for us to provide more services,” said Amy Thurston, Hope Inspire Love’s president and CEO. “We want to grow our programs. This is just how we’ve evolved in the community. Now our name is on the side of a building. People will walk by and say, ‘What’s Hope Inspire Love about?’ Having a brick-and-mortar building will cause people to want to get involved, to get behind it. This
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Diana Roth (front and center in left photo) and Kyle Martin (right in right photo) are Fellowship of Christian Athletes character coaches who work with local school sports teams to help foster a positive environment and provide support to coaches. BY ANN MEAD ASH
are volunteers,” said Ben Swarr, d i re c to r fo r Fe l l o w s h i p o f “ There’s more demand for Christian Athletes (FCA) Berks character coaches than there County, who works with athletes
in Twin Valley and Governor Mifflin school districts. Swarr is also a former character coach for Cocalico High School wrestling.
See Hope Inspire Love pg 2
See FCA pg 6
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See CVCCS pg 5 among area residents.