Commission on Economic Opportunity

The Weinberg Regional Food Bank, a program of the Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO), serves four counties in Northeast Pennsylvania—Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming. Our mission is simple and urgent: to ensure that all our neighbors, especially children and older adults, have consistent access to nourishing food that supports their health, dignity, and well-being.

We collect donated food from every point in the food system—from growers and manufacturers to retailers and community food drives. In addition to donated food, we source government commodity foods and purchase wholesale from both distributors and local growers. More than 300 partner organizations help move food from our warehouse to family tables quickly and efficiently. This network relies heavily on volunteers, local nonprofits, and faith-based groups.

Last year alone, the network distributed 15.7 million pounds of food, reaching an estimated 22,000 people each week.

Yet the need is outpacing the supply. Local data shows that visits to partner food pantries have nearly doubled, rising from 193,943 visits in 2019 to 385,480 in 2025. During that same time, the amount of available food has increased by only about 30%—from 12.2 million to 15.7 million pounds.

At the very moment demand is growing, the work of food banking is becoming more difficult. Advances in technology are reducing manufacturing errors; AI is allowing retailers to better predict demand; and products once considered unmarketable are now sold through secondary markets. Together, these trends mean less excess food and greater competition for donations, both locally and nationwide.

Rising food costs are intensifying household food insecurity—and they are also straining the Food Bank’s ability to fill the gap through purchases. Historically, we have relied on buying food to supplement what comes through donations and federal commodities. But the sudden loss of federal funding has created a devastating shortfall. Between fiscal years 2024 and 2025, we lost 2.6 million pounds of federal commodity foods, and funding for purchasing local agricultural products was eliminated, resulting in an additional $500,000 loss.

Both public and private funding support the Weinberg Food Bank’s operations, especially food purchasing. Our long-term sustainability—and our ability to meet the growing community need—depends on increased financial support. Additional, non-government funding is essential to ensure that families across Northeast Pennsylvania can access the food they need.