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History

The Media Food Bank began and continues as a ministry of First Church Media.

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It was officially founded in 1995 by Marion Ergang, who started collecting food donations and making them available to anyone who had need on a weekly basis.  A room in the lower level of the church education wing was made available to house the operation, and four other women from the church each volunteered to assist one week a month.

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After about three years Marion moved out of the area, but the other volunteers maintained the Food Bank's weekly distribution - and continued to do so until they were physically unable to do so.

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In the late 1990's the Food Bank was invited to become part of the Delco Interfaith Food Assistance Network (DIFAN), to start receiving food from both state and local governments. This shift required a reconfiguration in the lower level of the church, both to increase storage capacity and comply with more specific storage guidelines.

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As the years went on the operation continued to expand. The church made an additional room available for storage as donations picked up, and in 2008, also opened the Clothing Closet in the lower level - further expanding the overall community impact. With the Food Bank and Clothing Closet operating together, the number of people served increased and the operation remained stable.

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In March of 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and a corresponding increase in demand and donations, the Food Bank was completely reconfigured almost overnight. Interior space had been tight for a while, but with new health restrictions, guests were no longer allowed in the building. This shift enabled further reconfiguration to store more food and other donations. After ballooning during the pandemic, the number of people served has remained much higher than pre-pandemic levels with increasing hunger and food insecurity.

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Also adjusting during the pandemic, the Clothing Closet moved upstairs after a six-month hiatus. It then became a separate operation, allowing even more space for the growing Food Bank operation. In the summer of 2021, church and Food Bank leadership decided to make the temporarily expanded operation permanent. The Food Bank took over the entire lower level of the education wing, and then added a heated portico/canopy outside the entrance. The exterior addition has enabled the Food Bank to operate outdoors year-round.

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The Food Bank was entirely volunteer-run until 2023, when two part-time staff members were hired to help sustain the expanded operation. One of them, Paul Mickle, had been faithfully volunteering since he was 10 years old - for most of the Food Bank's history.

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After nearly 30 years, the Food Bank continues its mission in service to Delaware County individuals and families in need -  thanks to ongoing community support from many donors and volunteers.

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