Food drive to benefit Octorara Area Food Cupboard

Three local boroughs - Parkesburg, Atglen and Christiana - are coming together in a friendly competition to collect food for the Octorara Area Food Cupboard (OAFC). The large-scale food drive, titled "Battle of the Boroughs," was slated to begin on May 19 and will run through Friday, June 20.

Battle coordinators are April Brade of the Parkesburg Parks & Recreation Committee, Bekkah Bitterman of the Christiana Parks & Recreation Commission and Jennifer Grossman, chairperson of the Atglen Parks & Recreation Commission.

According to Brade, each borough will have collection locations around town where people can drop off unopened, nonperishable, unexpired food items. "Each week, they will take the donations over to the cupboard and weigh in," she explained, adding that a winner will be declared at the end of the competition.

Brade came up with the idea for the first-time food drive to coincide with the end of the school year. "Now that food banks are really struggling, we felt there was no better time," she stated. "And we wanted to get the food donations in before the summer months. With school ending for the year, many children will lose the breakfast and lunches they get at school."

"With Octorara being a Title I school, it provides breakfast and lunch, which is a huge benefit for low-income families in our area," added Bitterman. "With that not being available over the summer months, the food pantry sees more families coming in. We want to boost donations and remind people of the need."

The coordinators said they were eager to join Brade's effort. "We started talking about the Battle of the Boroughs at our April meeting. It has happened very quickly," Grossman said. "(Brade) had this idea, and she wanted to run with it."

"(Brade) approached our group ... and we are really excited about participating," added Bitterman. "I feel like it is an easy way to give back."

The OAFC is currently seeking the following donations: pasta sauce and boxed pasta; canned fruit; noodle and rice side dishes; condiments, including ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise; canned beets; peanut butter and jelly; and baby items like diapers, wipes and baby food. 

In Christiana, food donations boxes are located at Moores Memorial Library, 9 W. Slokom Ave., and Sit Stay Play, 28 W. Bridge St. A one-day food collection drive will be held on Saturday, June 7, at Dutch-Way Farm Market, 365 Pennsylvania Route 41, Gap.

In Atglen, collection bins are located at Bird's Nest Salon, 413 Valley Ave.; Atglen Borough Hall, 120 Main St.; Atglen Public Library, 121 Main St.; and Penningtonville Presbyterian Church, 406 Main St. Food will also be collected during the Memorial Day program in Atglen.

Drop-off sites in Parkesburg include the lobby at Parkesburg Borough Hall, 315 W. First Ave.; Salon Boninu, 426 W. First Ave.; Homestead Studios on Main, 100 Main St.; Parkesburg Free Library, 105 West St.; and the Grocery Outlet, 110 W. First Ave.

Additional information and drop-off locations will be listed at each borough's website and Facebook page.

"At the end of the campaign, the borough with the most donated food will win bragging rights. Or maybe a trophy," said Brade. "I'm still working on that part."

"What makes this fun is this is a competition, but it will benefit the cupboard, no matter what, which is an incredible idea," Bitterman added.