Lancaster County & Central PA Resources
Meals for Children during COVID-19 school closure
General Assistance
Hotlines & Directories
- Dial PA 2-1-1 or 855-501-6785 (24-hours a day/7 days a week)
- Info – English | Info – Español
- PA 2-1-1 East Searchable Database
- Where to Call When You Need Help | Donde Llamar Cuando Necesite Ayuda [Bilingual PDF]
- National Hunger Hotline: 1-866-3-Hungry
- Food Assistance Resources [Enter your zip code]
- Pennsylvania Department of Human Services [Website]
State Assistance Programs
Benefits Screening [Locations]
SNAP
- Helpline: 1-877-999-5964
- SNAP overview, Central PA Food Bank [Website]
- SNAP income guidelines [PA DHS Website]
- Sign-up for SNAP online [COMPASS application]
- SNAP ABAWD checklist [PA DHS information on Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents Work Requirements]
- ElderShare CSFP income guidelines [Central PA Food Bank’s Senior Hunger Webpage]
WIC/Food Stamps
- Pennsylvania WIC – 717-509-3686 [Website]
- WIC eligibility guidelines & application – CAP Lancaster [CAP Website on WIC Eligibility]
- Food Stamps Hotline: Central PA Food Bank – 1-877-999-5964 (ENG & ESP)
Food Vouchers [Full List]
Local Meals & Other Programs
United Way PA 2-1-1 East –county, state, regional services & assistance [Searchable Database]
Nutrition & Exercise
If you are interested in learning more about nutrition education opportunities, please contact Brenda Buescher, Health Promotion Specialist, Wellness Center, Lancaster General Health bbuescher2@lghealth.org or (717) 544-3865.
Healthy Eating
- Food safety and nutrition [Resources]
- Penn State Cooperative Extension [Website]
- Get Healthy: Información en Español [Website]
- Healthy eating recipe modifications [PDF]
- Healthy cookbooks [Lighten Up Lancaster]
- Food Tracker: SparkPeople
Exercise
- Lancaster on the Move: Free & low cost activities and wellness resources [PDF]
- Exercise Tracker: MyFitnessPal
Gardening & Fresh Food
- Lancaster County community gardens [Website]
- Fresh produce delivery at work – partner with a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) [Lighten Up Lancaster]
- School Garden Toolkit: Start Your Own Garden [Lighten Up Lancaster]
- USDA People’s Garden Initiative [Website]
Data & Statistics
National
- Hunger statistics [Feeding America]
- Feeding America: Map the Meal Gap [Study]
State & Local
- Setting the Table: A Blueprint for a Hunger-Free Pennsylvania 2016 Governor’s Food Security Partnership [Report]
- Hunger statistics [Central PA Food Bank]
- Central PA Food Bank: Map the Meal Gap – Child Food Insecurity 2015 [Study]
- Hunger in America: Central Pennsylvania 2014 [Full Report]