For many of the nonprofits working to end hunger in Lancaster County, summer can be an especially difficult time. That’s where the Giving Trail — a community event now in its second year — comes in.
“The mission of the Giving Trail is to raise food, funds and awareness for local hunger-relief nonprofit organizations during a time of year when donor support tends to wane,” says Gabriel Luber, co-founder of Lancaster Gift Box and co-founder/organizer of the Giving Trail. “Going into the summer months is a time of year when (organizations) need support the most, but that’s the time of year that no one is really thinking about food drives, hunger and giving.”
“Traditionally, we think of food drives right before Thanksgiving, right around the holidays,” says Diana Smedley, owner and co-founder of Lancaster Gift Box and co-founder/organizer of the Giving Trail. “But people need food all year round.”
This year’s Giving Trail will take place on Saturday, May 4 from noon to 4 p.m. Participants (nicknamed “trail blazers” by the event’s organizers) will have the opportunity to interact with five hunger relief-focused nonprofits at five businesses located on the 300 Block of N. Queen St. in Lancaster City.
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At each of those five locations, attendees are encouraged to donate a nonperishable food item or make a donation of $5 or more. Once they do so, they will receive a stamp in an event passport.
After collecting all five stamps, participants can enter to win an, “amazing gift box prize, valued at about $500 with all sorts of gift cards, goodies and snacks,” according to Smedley.
The nonprofits participating in the upcoming Giving Trail include: Meals on Wheels of Lancaster, Power Packs Project, Lancaster County Food Hub, the Wittel Farm Growing Project and Water Street Mission.
This year, all food donations collected at the event will be donated to the Power Packs Project, while monetary donations can be made directly to the nonprofit located at each stop along the trail.
“[The Giving Trail] is a great way for us to … get our information and name out to a lot of people that don’t know that we exist or don’t necessarily know what we do and how we help families in this area,” says Brad Peterson, executive director of Power Packs Project, which “provide[s] weekend meals for children and their families over the weekend when they don’t have school meals.”
“For families who are struggling with food insecurity, struggling to put food on the table, summer is the worst time for them because they don’t have school meals to supplement what they need to provide for their kids,” Peterson says. “We continue to get this nutrition into the hands of families who need it over the summer, to give kids healthy meals and all of the nutrients that they need to grow … and to continue to have academic success and thrive in school.”
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Water Street Mission also hopes to remind the larger Lancaster community of the need for donations during the summer months, according to Sandy Gambone, senior business ambassador at Water Street Mission.
A supporter writes a check at a Water Street Mission table during the 2023 Lancaster Giving Trail event.
“For Water Street — like so many organizations that are helping walk alongside people who are experiencing food insecurity — this time of year is not necessarily thought of as a time to gather food for people,” Gambone says.
But, support is needed throughout the year, Gambone says.
“Typically, we garner almost 90,000 pounds of food during the winter months,” Gambone says. “But, of course, in feeding our guests — as well as the Lancaster County community who needs food — that’s a year-round effort.”
Feleen Nancarvis, executive director at Meals on Wheels of Lancaster, says that her team is “really excited” to participate in the Giving Trail for the first time this year.
“This event focuses on raising funds, food and awareness for agencies in Lancaster that are focused on food insecurity, and that is near and dear to our hearts here at Meals on Wheels,” Nancarvis says. “We’re serving those that are unable to prepare meals for themselves, and so this is a really great way to increase visibility of what we’re trying to do with our services here, but also encourage people to get involved.”
With this event, Smedley and Luber hope to increase community awareness of these five organizations working to combat hunger here in Lancaster.
“Every time a trailblazer shows up to participate, they’re going to be introduced to a new business they’ve never been to, possibly, and learn about the work of a nonprofit that they might not know about,” Luber says. “For each of those $5 donations that are made, those are potential lifelong donors that the nonprofit organizations can begin to develop relationships with.”
“It’s a great, wonderful day of generosity and giving — either food or money,” Smedley continues. “If we can make one person aware of a new nonprofit in the hunger-relief space, that’s amazing.”
Participants in the Lancaster Giving Trail can enter to win a load of local swag.
“Partnering with local businesses through initiatives like the Giving Trail is truly a win-win situation,” Corinne Foster, development and communications manager at Lancaster County Food Hub, wrote in an email to LNP | LancasterOnline. “Not only does it allow us to reach new audiences and expand our impact, but it also provides local businesses with the chance to connect with potential customers while giving back to the community.
At last year’s event, for example, Peterson met two participants who were keenly interested in the work of Power Packs Project. Now, they have both become regular volunteers with the program, he shares.
Luber says that they are committed to hosting the Giving Trail annually, “with the vision of growing its impact over the years to become a significant day of giving in Lancaster city.”
Peterson encourages folks to attend the Giving Trail and support the work of Power Packs, as well as other participating organizations.
“Power Packs is just one of a number of organizations, all very worthy and all working to eliminate the meal gap in our community,” Peterson says. “One in eight kids in our county don’t know where their next meal is coming from … It’s unacceptable that anyone is going hungry where we live ... This is a chance for everyone to contribute.”
