Hunger No More | JeffersonGrange#1384

This campaign seeks to raise awareness about food insecurity in our area and find a way to eliminate hunger through personal, policy and philanthropic actions.

The recent invasion of Ukraine and number of individuals in our area of Ukrainian descent has also called us to include a drive to fund emergency food boxes to feed refugee families through the UN World Food Programme. Learn more about that fund drive below.

Even though so much is produced here,
hunger is very present in Schuylkill County

14% of our neighbors

in Schuylkill County don't have enough to eat, know where their next meal is coming from or rely on food banks and other programs to meet their food needs, even after exhausting their own budget and any help they receive through social safety net programs for which they qualify.

Nearly 1 in 4

children in Schuylkill County face food insecurity. According to Feeding America, "Research shows an association between food insecurity and delayed development in young children; risk of chronic illnesses like asthma and anemia; and behavioral problems like hyperactivity, anxiety and aggression in school-age children."

3 food deserts

in the county, defined by the USDA as a "low-income census tracts with a substantial number or share of residents with low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and affordable foods." They are located in Pottsville, Ashland and Coaldale.

What we're doing

Jefferson Grange has held food drives and donated to food pantries in Schuylkill Haven, Orwigsburg and New Ringgold since it reorganized in May 2021. We've also assisted with the Schuylkill Haven Community Garden and promoted awareness of food insecurity, encouraged reducing food waste and so much more.

Now, we're going bigger.

On March 26, we're kicking off our South Schuylkill HUNGER NO MORE Campaign with an event on March 26 that will bring together local elected officials from South Schuylkill school districts and municipalities as well as those from Pottsville City, the County and State Congressional leaders. We hope to share information and raise awareness, but ultimately to provide a forum for an exchange of ideas on how to combat hunger in our area that will ultimately result in concerted efforts by these leaders, in conjunction with organizations, volunteers and the general public to ensure in an agricultural area, everyone has enough to eat.

We intend to do more events under this banner to bring those concerned about food security together and work with organizations to coordinate outreach efforts. We will encourage local governments to review and barriers individuals may face in meeting some of their own food needs - from ordinances to transportation to community gardens - and ensure there are ample resources in their jurisdictions to provide greater access to food for those struggling with hunger and much more.

We ask each of you to consider how you can ensure our neighbors HUNGER NO MORE and join us at our next Jefferson Grange meeting where we will talk about the future of this campaign.

Ukranian Refugee

Heeding the call from beyond our borders

When you know where you come from - the stock of your people - it's hard to ignore cries from a homeland you may have never visited but you still feel connected to. Such is the case as many of our neighbors in Schuylkill County watch the crisis unfold in Ukraine and see distant cousins flee their native land to become refugees, hungry and unsure of what the future holds.

Schuylkill County municipalities have some of the highest per capita rates of people claiming Ukrainian descent according to data from the US Census Bureau. In fact, of the top 20 municipalities with the highest concentrations of Ukrainian-descending populations, 8 are within our county border.

As we begin to watch people struggle with the basic necessities after abandoning their homes to find refuge in other nearby nations, Jefferson Grange #1384 is taking the step to improve their chances to survive and rebuild by raising funds for the UN World Food Programme and their work to create and distribute emergency food boxes with enough to feed a family for a month.

We have partnered with The Cake Pros, A Blessing Table Company, in Schuylkill Haven to offer a thank you - a giant yellow and blue sunflower-shaped sugar cookie - to donors contributing $5 or more at our in-person events or fund drive locations.

Our current Donation Stations are open during their regular business hours.

The Cake Pros, A Blessing Table Company - Schuylkill Haven

Studio 895 - New Ringgold

Muggles Mug - Jim Thorpe

Carmelo's Roman Delight - Orwigsburg

Palermo Pizza and Restaurant - Minersville

Jefferson Grange members will staff the following temporary Donation Stations:

Date, Times, Location TBA

If you are a business and wish to partner with us to collect contributions and provide donors with cookies at your location, or to allow Jefferson Grange members to set up a temporary Donation Station, please contact us at jeffersongrange1384@gmail.com or by phone/text at 301-943-1090.