Food drive in Bethlehem helps families trying to make ends meet

 Food drive in Bethlehem helps families trying to make ends meet

By Genesis Ortega

March 29, 2021

Every week since the pandemic began, half a million Pennsylvanians have needed help getting enough food. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services says the state’s food banks have provided more than 250 million pounds of food every week since the pandemic began. 

But even so, it hasn’t been enough. Local organizations have had to step in.

Victor Martinez of Spanish language radio station La Mega helped to organize a food drive in Bethlehem last week. 

“They are thrilled to be able to come and get this. It may not seem like much, it’s just a box. But you know what, that box has a gallon of milk, it has a bag of potatoes, a bag of onions,” Martinez says. 

Rosa Pastor of Nazareth waited patiently in a line of about 500 cars for three hours. 

“I actually have a family that are staying with us right now. Lost their jobs during COVID. The home they were renting was sold and they had 30 days to get out,” Pastor says. 

Pastor says taking in the family of six friends has been taxing.  

“It was an adjustment for my husband and I because we’re older and we live by ourselves and now we have a house full right now,” she says. 

The eight people in her household will be grateful, she says.  

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