CEO/Weinberg Food Bank represents new model for addressing food insecurity

PITTSTON TWP. — The Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Center for Healthy Living — a 50,222 square-foot facility — represents not only a new and much larger space for CEO’s Weinberg Food Bank to operate in, but it represents a new model for addressing hunger and food insecurity.

A ceremony was held Thursday in the CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park in Jenkins Township in the newly created expanded space at the facility.

Special remembrance banners were hung from the ceiling honoring Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan, Eugene Brady, who served CEO as executive director for 40 years; Judge Hugh Mundy and longtime CEO employee Rich Kutz.

Jennifer Warabak, executive director at CEO/Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank, said the agency’s mission has always been about people helping people.

“This facility stands in testament to all who have come together to help those in need,” Warabak said. “It exemplifies the compassion for others and defines our mission of people helping others.”

Gretchen Hunt, CEO/Weinberg Food Bank director of resource development and nutrition programs, said the recently expanded Center for Healthy Living has the capacity to receive, store and distribute three times the volume of food and has temperature controlled storage for perishable and nutritious product.

“The Center for Healthy Living is equipped with the technology needed to extend the life of fresh produce so that it can be consumed by the families and children it is intended for,” Hunt said. “In addition to food distribution, the Weinberg Food Bank also provides valuable nutrition education to clients at the point of service, so that they can gain skills in healthy eating, cooking and shopping on a budget.”

Hunt provided some statistics about the Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Center for Healthy Living:

• 55,220 total square feet.

• 4,280 sq. ft. sorting and repack area for use by volunteers.

• 1,050 sq. ft. agency shopping area with dry, frozen and refrigerated storage.

• 5,310 sq. ft. of freezer space and 1,480 sq. ft. of refrigerated space.

• 12,875 sq. ft. of dry storage.

• 8 million pound capacity.

• the ability to store, transport and distribute fresh produce to partners in four counties — Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wyoming.

• a multi-purpose meeting room with cooking equipment for nutrition education training.

Hunt said CEO established the Weinberg NE Regional Food Bank in 1996, operating out of a warehouse at Amber Lane until early 2015.

“On May 1, 2015 — 10 years ago — we had the grand opening/ribbon cutting for the Monsignor Andrew J McGowan Center for Healthy Living at CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park in Jenkins Township,” Hunt said.

• Since 2015, the Food Bank has provided 128 million pounds of food to the community from this facility.

• In 2024, the Food Bank provided 17.6 million pounds of food to the community.

• Food is distributed as take-home groceries or prepared meals

“Last year, we provided food during more than 470,000 pantry visits — serving 1.1 million individuals,” Hunt said. “Our partners served over ¾ million meals in 2024.”

Hunt said CEO has more than 300 partners that make sure the food available gets to the people who need it most.

Sources of food

“We source food in three ways — donated food from all levels of the food system, government commodity food from the USDA (US Dept of Agriculture) and wholesale purchased food,” Hunt said. “Last year, 18% of our total food product was purchased, 43% was donated and 39% was commodity foods.”

Key messages

• Partnerships and helping hands are the magic that make the Food Bank successful.

• CEO/Weinberg Food Bank needs your ongoing support.

• You can help by making a donation or volunteering.

• Another way to help is to spread the word about the good work being done — tell your family, friends & co-workers & follow and share CEO’s social media content.

About the expansion

“This year we added 15,000 square feet to the existing 50,000 square-foot Food Bank facility,” Hunt said. “The new space includes additional cold storage, two more loading docks and volunteer workspace for one of our major volunteer activities, food box packing.”

Hunt said the expansion was funded by Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania, Luzerne County, Feeding Pennsylvania, USDA Rural development, The Harry and Jeanette, Weinberg Foundation and the William G. McGowan fund.

To donate

Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank

185 Research Drive

Pittston, PA 18640

570-908-2222

Website: ceopeoplehelpingpeople.org