From left, Girl Scout leader Jill Roda; Torey Verts, a member of the Valencia borough council and its planning commission, and the Rev. Jim Kirk, pastor of the Valencia Presbyterian Church show off the newly constructed food box set up beside the church’s parking lot. Eric Freehling/Butler Eagle

VALENCIA — Three Valencia organizations are banding together to fight food insecurity in their community.

Valencia Presbyterian Church was looking to take on a community outreach project. The Valencia borough council wanted to fight hunger in the borough. And Girl Scout Troop 26498 wanted a community project.

All three objectives were met May 21 with the opening of a red and white food box at the edge of the church parking lot at 80 Sterret St.

The 24-by-48 inch box with clear doors contains nonperishable food items as well as paper products such as paper towels. People in need of food are welcome to the food and other products under the motto “Take what you need, leave what you can.”

Torey Verts, a member of the Valencia borough council and the Valencia Planning Commission, said the box was the end result of nearly two years of planning.

“Early in the pandemic, we started worrying about food insecurity here in our neighborhood,” said Verts, adding statistics point to one in nine Pennsylvanians under some sort of food insecurity.

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