About local hunger

• Nearly 12% of the population of Berks and Schuylkill Counties (65,000 people) live in poverty and thus face hunger issues.

• Of those living in poverty, nearly 21,800 are children under the age of 18.

• Nearly 36,000 school-aged children in Berks and Schuylkill Counties are eligible for the National School Lunch Program’s free and reduced lunches. This represents 40% of the population of school-aged children in Berks County and 42% in Schuylkill County.

• More than 100,000 people in Berks and Schuylkill Counties qualify for food assistance – defined as living within 150% of the poverty guideline.

*Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey and PA Dept. of Education

Greater Berks Food Bank
1011 Tuckerton Court
Reading, PA 19605
610-926-5802
Fax 610-926-7638