The Provide-A-Lunch (PAL) program offered its first meal in Hanover on April 23rd, 1983, with just five cases of food and a problem of where to prepare it. Started by a group of dedicated people connected to the Hanover Area Council of Churches, it fed over 270,000 community members in need. An all-volunteer staff from 23 different churches, eight different denominations daily, fed 75-110 people. Back then, the daily location of PAL lunch was announced at the Hanover Hospital, by the local papers, and the Children’s Aid Society. Food was supplied by local food banks, government surplus, state and federal grant money, and local grocery stores like Nell’s Market, Weis Market and Snyder’s of Hanover, and was operated out of a rotation of 13 different churches.
When the new HACC Building located at 136 Carlisle St. was acquired, the concern of having to constantly move equipment and food around to different places was lifted from the program. Equipment items such as a dishwasher, commercial refrigerator and freezer were given to HACC upon the purchase of the building to help support the continuation of PAL lunch in the new permanent location. From 13 lunches served on the programs first day, it grew to average 130 meals per day with 500 volunteers assisting.
PAL lunch continues to provide a hot, healthy, well-balanced meal to approximately 100 meals daily, and over 30 member churches who volunteer their time to help cook, prepare, and serve the meals to the community in need. The cost of food and supplies has grown exponentially since the PAL opening in 1983, therefore the need for food and supply donations as well as volunteers continues to grow. The PAL program receives donations from the community, local restaurants including Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Red Lobster, Chick-Fil-A, and partnering grocery stores such as Weis Markets, and Giant.
Volunteer applications can be found on the HACC website. Monetary donations are accepted through PayPal, Cash, or Check mailed and addressed to the Hanover Area Council of Churches.
