<div>Ron Devlin, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.POTTSVILLE — It’s no accident that the new Beverly Mattson Food Bank has the feel of a grocery store.Denise Gehrman, director, said the layout is designed for the convenience of clients and to provide a similar experience to shopping in a market.“Already,” she said, “people are calling it a free grocery store.”Formerly in Shenandoah, the food bank opened last weekend in the former St. Joseph’s Parish Hall in the 300 block of Howard Avenue.It’s open to registered clients from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of the month, or by appointment.With little advance notice, a soft opening on Oct. 5 drew 83 families, and 64 families turned out for a grand opening on Oct. 19,The response, Gehrman said, suggests a critical need for food among some Schuylkill County families.“Food insecurity,” she said, “is a big problem in the county.”*Denise Gehrman, director of the Beverly Mattson Food Bank, looks over the food bank’s stock of dry goods at their new Pottsville location on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024…DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR*Fresh apples sit out at the Beverly Mattson Food Bank’s new location in Pottsville on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024…DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR*Food fills the shelves at the Beverly Mattson Food Bank’s new location in Pottsville on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024…DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR*Denise Gehrman, director of the Beverly Mattson Food Bank, looks over their stock of frozen food at the food bank’s new Pottsville location on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024…DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITORShow Caption1 of 4Denise Gehrman, director of the Beverly Mattson Food Bank, looks over the food bank’s stock of dry goods at their new Pottsville location on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024…DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITORExpandWhen the food bank was in the J. W. Cooper Community Center in Shenandoah, it served 300 families a month on average. In November and December, around the holidays, it reached 600 families at times.The Cooper building, formerly Shenandoah High School, was demolished earlier this year due to structural deficiencies.Finding a new site, Gehrman said, proved difficult.Bobby Weaver, who owns the former parish center, offered it for the food bank rent free. The food bank pays the utilities.Formerly associated with the Baltimore Free Store, Gehrman said the design of the new food bank is patterned after the grocery store layout of the Baltimore facility.Gehrman, a medical assistant, volunteers her time as director. She shared the duties with Kent and Shelley Steinmetz, underwriters of the nonprofit facility.The ground floor of the imposing building is a walk-in pantry lined with shelves filled with canned goods, bread and produce.Refrigerator-freezers donated by Giant Foods hold dairy products and meats. A separate room has larger freezers stocked primarily with meat.An upper floor has pallets of water, juices and protein drinks. It also stores paper products.The food bank is stocked primarily by Helping Harvest in Reading.Boyer’s Food Markets, Mrs. T’s Pierogies, Weis Markets, Walmart, Sheetz and Giant Foods all have made donations of food or shelving.Registration is required on the food bank’s Facebook page or by calling 570-671-0979. Residents of Schuylkill County and homeless persons are eligible.</div>

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Beverly Mattson Food Bank offers grocery store-like experience at new Pottsville location

POTTSVILLE — It’s no accident that the new Beverly Mattson Food Bank has the feel of a grocery store. Denise Gehrman, director, said the layout is designed for the convenience of clients and to provide a similar experience to shopping in a market. “Already,” she said, “people are...