Shannon Rios, outreach and public relations coordinator with Lighthouse Church, once struggled with addiction and homelessness. That firsthand knowledge makes her keenly aware of the needs of recipients of His Helping Hands Food Pantry and the Compassion Closet clothing pantry that she oversees at the church.

"I know what's easy and what's not," Rios stated. "If you go to a food pantry and they give you cans, that's great, but what if (you) don't have a can opener?"

The food and clothing pantries at Lighthouse Church, 1279 Main St., East Earl, are open the first and third Fridays of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. Rios noted that the church hopes to serve one community meal a month in conjunction with the pantry dates.

According to Rios, the church has had a food pantry since the early 1990s. Storage space was an issue before the congregation recently built the new church at the present location. The food and clothing pantries opened for the first time in the new church on the evening of March 7. Pantry recipients drive through the portico at the right of the church, and while waiting to enter the food pantry, recipients may sit in the gym and peruse the clothing closet. Clothing available to recipients includes gently used items in season, as well as shoes and accessories, for people of all ages and either gender.

At the previous location, recipients filled out a form with their name and the size of the household, and then volunteers retrieved food items in accordance with those needs. "Now we have the space for them to walk through (with a volunteer) and get their own food," said Rios of the choice pantry at the new location. On a tour of the pantry, Rios pointed out the poultry and ground turkey and hot dogs in the pantry's refrigerators and freezers. Because of the state-of-the art church kitchen off the gym, Rios said that volunteers can freeze family- and individual-size packets of meat. "We work with local farms and grocery stores," said Rios, who noted donations have come from Shady Maple Farm Market and Pepperidge Farm. "We have eggs, cheese, bread, and we have a beautiful space (for) fruits and vegetables."

The food pantry also stocks toiletries and household goods, which Rios pointed out cannot be purchased with SNAP food stamps. More information about the food pantry and a list of needed items may be found at http://www.lighthouseag.com/foodpantry, but Rios noted that certain types of foods are always in demand. "Any type of premade pasta in cans and Hamburger Helper-type meals that can be made with or without meat, cereal, and kids' snacks (are good donations)," she stated, adding that peanut butter and jelly are always welcome. Donations must be in date. Other needs include toilet paper, laundry soap in a variety of sizes, dish soap, and feminine hygiene products. Diapers and baby wipes are also accepted. Readers who wish to donate may call 717-354-0056, ext. 115, or email srios@lighthouseag.com.

Clothing for the Compassion Closet may be dropped off the first Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. Clothing should be gently used and in season if possible. "We are looking for spring and summer (items) now," said Rios, who added that she will never turn away a good pair of children's snow boots because it is not that season.

Pointing out the importance of having quality items, such as makeup and personal care items, to give away, Rios stated, "Dignity is a big thing." She noted that at Christmas the church holds a Filling Up Families event, and she has witnessed how much it means to young women to have access to good personal products. "It's embarrassing to get food," she said. "We need to have nice things to give to people, and this will help out a lot." Rios also plans to reach out to schools and area social services organizations so the ministry can help provide clothing especially to mothers and children in need. In the future, Rios hopes to see the ministry grow. "We will definitely get more shelves and more items," she stated, looking around the pantry. "This is a really great start."