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Free food pantries, groceries and meals Lancaster County Pennsylvania.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
There are dozens of non-profit food banks, free emergency pantries, soup kitchens and charities in Lancaster County that are focused on preventing hunger. The organizations often partner together in order to help a larger number of families.
The food distribution centers near you, many of which give free immediate groceries today, can also refer residents to government programs such as SNAP food stamps or free school lunches.
Find information below as well as a referral number at the bottom of the page.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
The pantries rely heavily on donations and volunteers from the community, so therefore the amount and type of assistance provided will vary by center and even season. Some of the Lancaster pantries may offer hot meals and fresh fruits or produce, while others will just be limited to canned and non-perishable items.
There are also community soup kitchens as well as Meals on Wheels across the Lancaster PA region as well. The locations are also open limited hours, and more information on the addresses and phone number of the food banks are below. Ephrata Area Social Services 227 North State Street Ephrata, PA, 17522: Call 717-733-0345 Up to five days of free food may be provided, including non-perishable canned goods, eggs, cheese, baby formula, meat and milk.
They can also help females, including single moms in Lancaster, apply for WIC vouchers.
Faith-Based Emergency Assistance
Salvation Army food pantries are located at 131 South Queen Street (dial 717-397-7565), 401 Locust Street in Columbia (phone 717-684-8047) as well as a center in Elizabethtown. Call 610-383-0868. Each may have food and groceries for special needs, serve hot meals (including at Thanksgiving and Christmas), offer shelter and other support, such as clothing.
They also have limited financial aid as well as applications to SNAP food stamps. Lancaster Food Hub (formerly County Council of Churches): Main address is 812 N Queen St: Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603: Call the pantry at 717-291-2261: Food, including home delivered meals for senior citizens, are available from the charity.
They run a client choice pantry.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
East Donegal as well as Conoy Area Christian Food Bank: Location - Coffee Goss Road: Maytown, PA, 17550: Lititz Warwick Community Chest: Lititz, PA, 17543: Dial 717-627-0770 for information.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
A free food pantry is on site. There are also vouchers to a clothing bank for Lancaster County low income families. Conestoga Community Food Pantry 3716 Main Street Conestoga, Pennsylvania, 17516: The charity may have free milk, eggs, bread, and fruit as well as baby food or formula in an emergency.
Hempfield Area Food Pantry: Address is 85 East Brandt Boulevard: Landisville, Pennsylvania, 17538 717-898-2954 Grace Chapel Church 2535 Colebrook Road Elizabethtown, PA, 17022: Telephone: 717-944-5571: Volunteers feed the poor, homeless, and elderly. Programs range from a free food pantry to soup kitchen.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
Peter's Porch, Food Bank: Address is 435 Main Street: Akron, PA, 17501 717-859-2100 Lancaster families can get groceries, donated clothing, free personal hygiene items, and more for low income residents. San Juan Bautista: Main address - 425 South Duke Street: Lancaster, PA, 17602: Call 717-392-4118 for hours.
Manheim Central Food Pantry: Location of pantry - 334 West Gramby Street: Manheim, PA, 17545: They operate an emergency food pantry.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
Freedom Life Christian Center Food Bank 447 Noble Rd Christiana, PA, 17509: Call 610-593-5959 for hours. Based on donations, there may be canned goods and more for the low income and homeless. Mount Joy Helping Services: The pantry is at Corner of Mount Joy & Concord Streets, 407 Howard Avenue: Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, 17552 717-653-5585 Lighthouse Assembly of God, His Helping Hands 105 Earland Drive New Holland, Pennsylvania, 17557: Call 717-354-0056 Both bags of groceries or boxes of food are available as well as referrals and case management from the faith based charity.
CVCCS operates a Food Pantry: Address is 2420 Gehman Lane: Lancaster, PA, 17602 717-208-3711 Items available in Lancaster include soap and shampoo, free food, canned items, toilet paper, and more. Thanksgiving meals are served too.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
Northeastern Lancaster County Food Bank: Terre Hill, PA, 17581 717-354-3776 Partners with local charities and churches to offer vouchers for food needs. Water Street Ministries: Main address is 210 South Prince Street: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 17603 717-393-7709 x281 Lancaster Brethren in Christ: Address - 1865 Fruitville Pike: Lancaster, PA, 17601 717-569-5011 Emergency food for people in poverty, the homeless, and working poor is available.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
Jean Polite Food Bank 512 East Strawberry Street Lancaster, PA, 17602 717-393-8379 A small pantry for people to pick up items from, and they may have vegetables too. Elanco Social Services Network 10 West Farnum Street Lancaster, PA, 17603 717-393-3035 In a crisis, low income families can get help.
Services include free hygiene supplies, a bag of groceries, or even diapers as well. There are also Christmas toys for kids, meals for the family, and financial help. Lancaster County Assistance Office: Applications to SNAP, WIC, cash aid from TANF for groceries, and other aid is provided too. Grants and loans may help very low income families.
Factory House 3098 Lincoln Highway East Paradise, PA, 17562: Telephone - 717-687-9594:
Food Assistance and Food Banks
They run an emergency food bank for residents that have completed an assessment process. Willow Street UCC - Community Meal: Address: 2723 Willow Street Pike Willow Street, PA 17584: For intake, call 717-464-3462: St Luke's UCC: Address: 222 North Broad Street Lititz, PA 17543: Call 717-626-7100 A soup kitchen and pantry are on site.
Clients range from kids to the homeless, seniors, and the low income. Meals only from Helping Hands Ministries - Mount Joy Mennonite Church: Note this organization has a free community meal the 3rd Wednesday of each month from September to April only. The meal is at 5:30 pm. There is not a food pantry on site.
address of the organization and the meal is 320 Musser Road, Mount Joy, PA 17552, dial 717-653-5660.
Food Assistance and Food Banks
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Columbia Food Bank 340 Locust Street Columbia, PA, 17512: Main phone 717-449-5101: Petra Christian Fellowship 565 Airport Road New Holland, PA, 17557 717-354-5394 Lancaster County Project for the Needy 650 North Prince Street Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 17603: The Christmas Food Basket and holiday meals are offered too.
Community Cupboard of Elizabethtown 206 South Market Street Elizabethtown, PA, 17022 717-361-8149 A client choice food pantry is available on site, with boxes of groceries, canned goods, and more. Alpha & Omega Family Life Center 708 Wabank Street Lancaster, PA, 17603 717-394-3021 Assistance is for people facing a crisis only.
Pet Pantry of Lancaster County 26 Millersville Road Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 17607 717-983-8878 This unique service may have free dog, cat and small animal food to qualifying residents, including senior citizens.
Community Action Agency Services
Community Action agencies in Lancaster (CAP) will be able to help too. The centers offer referrals to pantries and soup kitchens. Applications for programs such as SNAP food stamps are offered too.
Some locations of CAP include 40 West Main Street, Ephrata (717-733-6562), 601 South Queen Street (call 717-299-7301), 349 Buck Road in Quarryville (call 717-786-4468), and there are several other agencies too. Find more free food services in Lancaster PA near you: For additional locations, call 610-434-0875.
Or receive referrals to other Lancaster County programs, such as Home-Delivered Meals or free Christmas gift baskets or meals. Or learn about the TEFAP - Emergency Food Assistance resource.
Ready to Get Help?
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