Downtown Rotary Visits New Love Center

AVIS — Members of Downtown Lock Haven Rotary visited the New Love Center recently and were amazed by the wide reach and impact of its food programs.

The Rotarians donated boxes of Cheerios and toured the facility at 263 Henry St., Avis, with Dave Winkleman, New Love Center president.

The New Love Center came into being to address food needs after the pantry in Jersey Shore closed. It now has six major programs to lighten the burden of food insecurity for families, most of them in Clinton and Lycoming counties.

Last year the center served 35,672 people, more than twice as many as in 2022. They included veterans, seniors, school kids, people with diabetes, young families in need. And this year, it’s looking to set another record of service

Volunteers, local support, and partnerships help make all this possible. 

Weis Markets is one of the partners, donating frozen foods.

Geisinger Medical is another, connecting diabetes patients in need with the “Fresh Food Farmacy” that gives them healthy foods. The New Love Center participates in this, and even has a mobile pantry that travels to Geisinger in Lock Haven, Renovo, and Geisinger sites in Lycoming County.

The cafe at Trinity United Methodist Church, Jersey Shore, provides a hot lunch every weekday to everyone who comes to eat, and there’s a drive-through pantry at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Jersey Shore.

Families can have a shopping experience at the Pantry Choice food distribution center at Henry Street.

For more information about the New Love Center, visit www.thenewlovecenter.com.

To find out more about Rotary of Downtown Lock Haven, find the club on Facebook.