The Coudersport Alliance Church’s Food Bank was so busy on Oct. 21, that there were volunteers speed walking to and from the building to the cars and trucks, all with smiles on their faces, shaking hands and greeting each local resident.

Karen Hallett was filling in for the Assistant Director, Carol Hribar, on the cold, rainy afternoon, and began with, “We don’t worry about the income anymore,” she said, pointing to a sign on the door of the building that shows a chart that correlates family size to items gotten. She crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders in an effort to keep warm. 

Hallet went on, “If there’s one person in the family, they get 18 items, and they get to pick those items. That number will not change, but with the government shutdown, the Central PA Food Bank has been getting less food, so we’ve been getting less food. With the economy, we haven’t been getting the donations from the community that we used to, but the really exciting news is that we were given from Habitat for Humanity $10,000, so that’s going to help us through Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

The local Habitat for Humanity recently closed its doors for lack of volunteers to lead the non-profit, according to a recent article in the Potter-Leader Enterprise. 

Hallet added that a local business who wished to remain unnamed is donating 100 turkeys to the Coudersport Alliance Church’s Food Bank this year, and the Methodist Church is doing “Thanksgiving bags,” which are like a take-homeThanksgiving dinner kit, complete with turkey, stuffing, dessert, and more. 

“The clients’ needs are going to be greater, but…we can only give what we have,” said Hallett, hands clasped in front of her in a gesture of quiet resolve, as though holding herself together before the weight of what she had to say.

Sometimes, according to Hallett, people will donate dairy items like cheese and milk, or eggs from a farm, but those staples “haven’t been as abundant,” in recent weeks. 

The Central PA Food Bank is based in Williamsport, and the first thing that comes up on its web page is this blaring message in red:

“AS OF 10/17/25, DHS IS TEMPORARILY PAUSING SNAP BENEFIT PAYMENTS DUE TO THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN. SINCE SNAP IS FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, DHS CANNOT ISSUE NEW BENEFITS FOR ANYONE UNTIL THE SHUTDOWN ENDS OR USDA ALLOWS CONTINGENCY FUNDS TO BE USED. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE CAN STILL HELP YOU APPLY NOW SO DHS CAN PROCESS YOUR APPLICATION, AND YOU’LL BE READY TO GET YOUR BENEFITS AS SOON AS PAYMENTS START AGAIN.”

Hallett also noted that the food bank has been “getting a lot less meat,” from the Central PA Foodbank, and as for dairy–“hardly at all.” 

Hallett showed this reporter to the innards of the food bank, where shelves were stocked meagerly. She continued, “If you’re a family of five, you can get 30 items…we do have a limit of three meats.” 

The majority of the people that come through this food bank, according to Hallett, are families with children ranging between three and six people, as well as a lot of single seniors. Hallett opened two large freezers, meant to hold meat, which were approximately half-full. Then there is a “Free Room,” where everything is free, and residents can take what they want. There were a lot of sweets like chocolate cupcakes and small, handheld pies. 

“These tables used to be covered,” said Hallett, sweeping her arm wide to show the largely empty room. 

There is no produce available for people to eat on this Tuesday, and no dairy or eggs either. When asked what the Central PA Food bank did send, Hallett said, “They did send two things of hot dogs, two things of ground meat, and then we got some canned items.”

Hallett doesn’t know what to expect for next week, she said, adding that, “We’re hoping we get a little bit more…”