McGowan Center for Healthy Living opens
JENKINS TWP. — Christina Francisco positioned herself for the picture at Friday’s ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Center for Healthy Living.
Francisco, 33 of Wilkes-Barre, is a volunteer at the food bank, helping with programming. She is also a member of the board of directors of the Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO).
“I do it because I believe in what they do here,” Francisco said. “It’s an honor for me to volunteer and to serve on the board and to be a part of an organization that is making a difference in our community.”
“From Hungry to Healthy” is the motto of CEO’s new home of the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank. It is located in the CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park at 185 Research Drive, Jenkins Township.
There are some 86,170 food insecure or hungry people in the four counties of Northeast Pennsylvania served by CEO’s Weinberg Regional Food Bank. Nearly 1 of every 4 children doesn’t have enough of the right kinds of food for a healthy and active life.
Increased capacity
According to information provided by CEO, the 50,000-square-foot facility provides a dramatic increase in capacity for the food bank to distribute more fresh and healthy food for the hungry.
But it also represents a shift in the very nature of food banking — from dry, non-perishable products to fresh and nutritious foods for families and seniors who struggle to put food on the table.
The state-of-the-art facility boasts a dry storage area of 31,080 square feet with 960 pallet stations, a freezer with 5,680 square feet and 420 pallet stations, and a 4,160-square-foot cooler with 204 pallet stations.
In 2014, 7 percent of the total food distributed was produce. Over the next few years, the food bank is focusing on a goal of 25 percent of total product as produce and 85 percent of product identified as healthy.
The food bank serves residents of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties.
Gene Brady, executive director of CEO, said the food bank supplied the equivalent of 5 million meals to area families in need. He said within three years, the goal is to double that distribution to 10 million meals.
“Imagine a community without hunger,” Brady said. “Our goal is to one day end hunger in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”
Sister Lucille Brislin, who delivered the benediction, said it is good to dream of a world where there are “no weak ceilings, no leaking faucets and where cupboards are always full.”
Monsignor McGowan
The new building is named in memory of the late Monsignor McGowan, a priest of the Roman Catholic Scranton Diocese who was a past president of the CEO Board of Directors. He left a legacy of care and concern for the region’s needy.
“Msgr. McGowan passionately cared for the poor in his ministry and life. The food bank continues that commitment and does it in a new, different pioneering way,” said Hugh Mundy, president of the CEO Board.
The William G. McGowan Fund made a substantial memorial and several members of the family attended the ceremony. Monsignor McGowan died in 2006.
Speakers at the event included Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, and Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, and Jesse Sharrard of the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank. Rabbi Larry Kaplan of Temple Israel served as master of ceremonies. Kaplan injected McGowan-like humor to the ceremony.
“This is a momentous occasion,” Kaplan said. “The austerity of the day is enhanced by the name on the building. This is Stage I; Stage II will be the Monsignor McGowan Golf Course to be built on adjacent land.”
In his remarks, Brady reminded the room full of donors, supporters and staff that hunger is year round. He said the mere size of the facility shows what the mission is about.
“Our region is home to some of the unhealthiest Pennsylvanians,” Brady said. “We rank among the worst of all Pennsylvania counties for common health indicators. Northeast Pennsylvania residents are more obese, less physically active and have less access to healthy foods.”
