From Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank
On Oct. 1, Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank held its fourth annual Celebration of Community & Hope in Berks County at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Reading.
The event raised funds for Helping Harvest in support of its mission to feed neighbors experiencing hunger. Local restaurants were set up throughout the evening, giving guests the chance to sample some of the best food in Berks County while connecting with community members who share a commitment to ending hunger. Participating restaurants included Cheers Bistro at the DoubleTree, Helping Harvest Community Kitchen, Sweet Ride Ice Cream, Sweet Street Desserts, Telia Perfect Greek, Thorn Alley Kitchen, and West Reading Tavern.
For the third consecutive year, The GIANT Company served as presenting sponsor. Other sponsors included Customers Bank, Weik Capital Management, and over 50 additional Berks County supporters.
The evening was hosted by Timothy Santoro, Divisional Vice President of The GIANT Company and member of the Helping Harvest Board of Directors. Speakers included Dr. Susan Looney, President of Reading Area Community College; Jay Worrall, President of Helping Harvest; and Jess Umbenhauer, Chief Operating Officer of Helping Harvest. The program opened with an invocation from Pastor Zach Labagh of Allegheny Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mohnton and featured a special video message from the Chief Executive Officer of Feeding America, Denis McDonough.
The event featured a musical performance by students from the Berks Youth Chorus and the Olivet Boys & Girls Club, led by Megan Charlesworth, Director of the Berks Youth Chorus, and Brianna Williams, Coordinator of the Olivet Center for Performing Arts, offered in gratitude for a historic gift from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, who donated $1 million to Helping Harvest last summer.
In his opening remarks, host Timothy Santoro reminded guests of the urgency behind the evening: “Sadly, hunger continues to be a serious global issue. In the United States, 47.9 million adults are living in homes where there is not enough to eat, and our local communities are not exempt.”
The program included a special tribute to Reading Area Community College, recognized for its dedication to the community. Helping Harvest’s COO Jess Umbenhauer offered her thanks directly: “We deeply value the partnership that we have with RACC and your organization’s commitment to ensuring your students and neighbors have access to food.”
The evening also recognized the Helping Harvest Board of Directors and honored the extraordinary network of agency partners, pantry coordinators, volunteers, and staff who make the mission possible each day. Jay Worrall, President of Helping Harvest, began his remarks with an expression of gratitude, asking all staff, volunteers, board members, and supporters of partner agencies to stand and be recognized: “You don’t just distribute food — you give people hope, dignity, and joy. You are amazing.”
In his address, Worrall reported that Helping Harvest has had a year of exceptional growth. In 2025, the organization distributed 11.1 million pounds of food valued at $22 million — more than ever before in its history. Through the date of the event, Helping Harvest had already distributed 9.4 million pounds valued at $17.2 million in 2026, running 20 percent ahead of the same period the prior year, putting the organization on pace to distribute over 13 million pounds valued at nearly $24 million by year’s end.
Worrall closed by looking to the future. He described a supply chain study undertaken with experts from Boscov’s, East Penn Manufacturing, Penske, Mrs. T’s Pierogies, GIANT Foods, The Evans Network, and Savor Street Foods, tasked with charting what Helping Harvest would need to distribute 30 million pounds of food by 2030. Early recommendations focus on strengthening the volunteer program, improving food handling and storage, and investing in new truck routing technology. A community campaign to fund those improvements is expected to follow the Board’s review of the study results.
He concluded with a message about what makes all of it possible: “Helping Harvest does not fight food insecurity on its own. We make that fight side-by-side with amazing partners. Some who run pantries, some who put produce in bags, some who drive Meals on Wheels or make Weekender Deliveries, some who help us make those meals. Some are songwriters and football players. Not only are we all in this together, but none of us could do it on our own. Together, we really can end hunger in Berks County.”
About Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank
Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank provides nutritious food to people facing hunger in Berks and Schuylkill counties. Helping Harvest delivers food to over 350 partners in its service area through its Weekender Program, Maternal Health Program, Senior Food Box Program, School Pantries, Mobile Markets, Community Kitchen, and more. As a Partner Food Bank of Feeding America, Helping Harvest is committed to putting donations to work where they matter most; 96.4% of expenditures go directly to program services, meaning for every $1 raised, over 96 cents reach neighbors facing hunger. Visit HelpingHarvest.org to learn more.
