Grab & Go

Trinity Episcopal Pro-Cathedral

Grab & Go / Produce Distribution

Our mission statement is "God’s Love Compels Us to Empower Our Community." At our core, we believe it is essential that the love we receive from God is demonstrated in loving action to those we meet. We desire to take a very hands-on approach in meeting community needs with the resources we have been given.

Grab & Go is a free weekly take out meal for those in need in the community. It is held every Thursday from 4-5 pm.

It began in 2020 when two local chefs reached out to Trinity during the Covid-19 pandemic with the desire to provide a free, take-out meal once a week to those in the community who were hungry. Trinity’s Vestry gave approval, and the program was launched in November 2020. The meals were prepared by the owners of a local catering company in Trinity's kitchen and Trinity volunteers helped with packing and handing out the meals from the front porch of Trinity each week. The program was on hold for three months in the summer of 2021 as the chefs had some personal issues which interfered with their commitment to running Grab & Go.  

Because the church believed in the value of the program, in August 2021 we restarted Grab & Go under total leadership of the church. Two church staff members served as chef and menu planner/food purchaser with approximately 10-20 volunteers to help cook, plate, and hand out meals as well as donate food or go grocery shopping.  At the beginning we prepared 30-40 meals per week.  

In March 2023 we expanded the program by offering free fruits and vegetables. This was in response to a community survey that a volunteer conducted. We get free produce from the Central PA Food Bank as well as from several local agencies such as Weis Markets, Don Waltmans and others. Two days a week we get donations from Panera Bread of breads and baked goods.  

We also have surplus produce from Trinity’s Community Garden which is located on land behind the church which is leased from Park Place.  

Excess meals and produce are shared with local community partners such as the YWCA, The Transitional Living Center (TLC), United Churches Food Pantry, and West End Christian Community Center (WECCC).  

We currently serve 180 meals per week and with grants and donations are able to prepare them at a cost of less than $1 per meal. We are distributing produce to approximately 50 households per week.