Time and time again, residents of the Southern End have proven their ability to withstand adversity by coming together as one community. When the coronavirus pandemic shook the foundations of everyday life in 2020, nearly every church and business from Conestoga to Lampeter to Kirkwood held food drives and fundraisers to ensure their neighbors' needs were met. Although the worst of the pandemic is behind us, its aftermath and a number of economic factors continue to add to a demand for basic necessities across Lancaster County that is greater than normal.

To match the Southern End's rising needs, organizations such as Solanco Neighborhood Ministries (SNM) are rising to the occasion by looking after their neighbors. The nonprofit serves a wide zone that encompasses Solanco and Lampeter-Strasburg school districts, as well as parts of Penn Manor School District. One of SNM's goals is to combat food insecurity in its service area, which it primarily accomplishes by operating a food bank in Quarryville. The food bank runs on a choice pantry model that allows patrons to select the items they need the most; its inventory is stocked with healthy foods, and each item is color-coded by nutritional value.

In 2023, SNM received more than 500 food orders, nearly 50% more than the previous year's total of 354 orders. Additionally, the number of emergency orders received by the food bank increased by 133%. Teresa Dolan, executive director of SNM, said she attributes the higher numbers to a variety of factors, including the rising costs of rent, utilities and groceries. Although these factors persistently make many households' budgets tighter, most of the families served by the food bank only need to use it on rare occasions; in 2023, 81% of SNM's patrons only placed an order for food once or twice.

Dolan also said she believes that SNM's move to a new location has affected the number of people it served last year. The organization relocated to 14 S. Church St. in Quarryville at the end of 2022, making the food bank more accessible than it was at the former facility on Buck Road.

The combination of factors resulting in greater needs in the community prompted SNM to issue a call to action for its residents, and they answered it emphatically. SNM received 137,774 pounds of food donations in 2023, a much higher total than the previous year and the equivalent of more than $200,000 worth of groceries. "The community absolutely rose to meet our growing needs," Dolan said. "It's an astounding number - we would not be able to spend that total buying everything that was donated."

SNM offers a variety of services in addition to the food bank, and all of its programs are open to those living in the Southern End and beyond. To stay up to date on SNM's plans for the new year, visit https://solanconeighborhoodministries.org.