Pantry Parking Woes Continue With Site Rejected In Bensalem Township

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —Parking woes continue for the Bucks County food pantry that closed Friday due to a parking shortage and now another option has fallen through.

Harvest Ministries Pantry Coordinator Joann Jordan updated Patch Thursday on the plight.

"We thought we had secured parking at another local firehouse, but they voted against us doing so," Jordan said. "We are still struggling to make our parking situation work until something opens up."

Harvest Ministries serves Bucks County and Philadelphia residents in need of healthy foods out of the Cornwells United Methodist Church at 2284 Bristol Pike. The pantry feeds 600 families a week.

The pantry opened Tuesday and Wednesday night and Jordan plans to open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Friday without the extra parking.

"Anything goes for Friday—let’s see what happens," she said. "I’m sure the hurricane rains tomorrow won’t help."

Jordan said she's working with Bensalem Township officials to see if there are any areas "that they can allow us access to secure a new parking overflow location.

Jordan praised Holy Ghost Prep for allowing Harvest Ministries to use their lot for Wednesday evening distributions when crowds are more sparse.

"Thank you to them for being a great community partner for years with the pantry," she said.

The pantry's parking lot only has 35 spots and the pantry functions "like an outdoor farmer's market," Jordan said.

But the pantry lost its parking overflow when the Cornwells Fire Company Station 16 said it was causing a safety issue.