Free food pantries, groceries and soup kitchens in Blair County.
Free emergency food pantries in Blair County Pennsylvania provide assistance to help prevent hunger. USDA as well as Feeding America affiliated charities, churches, and other agencies help low income families., the unemployed and poor. All the pantries, including those near you, all try to provide free food or meals to residents of the county every day. Both temporary as well as long term support can be arranged. Find more details on where to get emergency groceries today below as well as a phone number for more locations at the bottom of the page.
Each year these various food banks support about 10% of the county, over 10,000 families per year. Many people from the community turn to them when they are in a crisis or if they need temporary support. Most of the Blair Country residents that use a food pantry have never asked for assistance before, but some form of emergency has caused them to struggle. Other clients range from children to the elderly signing up for Meals on Wheels or parents with children.
The goal is to never turn anyone away, and instead provide some or all of the following.
- -Applications to food stamp - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), school lunches, and WIC - Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
- -Groceries including rice, beans, Boxed or Canned Soups, vegetables, meat, infant formula, etc.
- -Meals on Wheels for senior citizens that are homebound.
- -Free personal hygiene or household supplies in Blair County, including paper products, laundry detergent, soap and more.
- -Christmas or Thanksgiving meals, hygiene items, critical clothing, and much more.
Claysburg Area Food Bank
Location is 574 South Bedford Street
Claysburg, PA, 16625
Dial 814-239-2440
This pantry operates from donations from churches in Blair County and the USDA.
St. Vincent dePaul of Blair County
There are multiple sites with different services, hours, and food programs. Groceries, canned food, maybe some perishable items and other support. One location (as noted below) serves a hot lunch.
- St. Vincent dePaul Assumption Chapel is at 1523 Adams Avenue, Altoona, PA, 16602. Call 814-943-7962. This location is open 2 days per week.
- St. Vincent dePaul Food for Families is a soup kitchen/feeding site only. It is open Monday – Friday, 11am-1pm. The address is 2201 Union Avenue, Altoona, Pennsylvania 16602. Main phone - 814-944-6302
- Another SVDP location is 1215 Seventh Avenue, Altoona, PA, 16602. Call 814-943-1981. They offer emergency help only as well as thrift store.
Blair Senior Services Food Vouchers
1320 Twelfth Avenue
Altoona, PA, 16601
Telephone - 814-946-1235
Programs include Meals on Wheels, vouchers to buy nutritional supplements, holiday food and visitation in a nursing home, and other food assistance.
Second Avenue United Methodist Church
Main address - 130 Second Avenue
Altoona, PA, 16602
814-943-2072
Food Stamps / SNAP at Blair County Assistance Office
Location is 1100 Green Avenue
Altoona, PA, 16601-3440
Call 866-812-3341
SNAP applications are the main public benefit program. Very low income families in Blair County can be given an EBT card to shop for groceries. There are also WIC applications (for infant or baby formula), USDA programs such as free school lunches or breakfasts and other support.
Martinsburg Ministerium
133 East Allegheny Street
Martinsburg, PA, 16662
Call (814) 793-3958
Donations at this food bank feed families. Cereal, fruits, Christmas toys, and holiday food boxes are all available as the result of donations.
Bare Memorial Church of God
500 E Main St
Roaring Spring, PA 16673
814-224-2434
One free bag of groceries will be given out. There will be food for lunch, breakfast, dinners, and dry goods. Special Thanksgiving and Christmas meals are served too.
Salvation Army and the Altoona Service Center Food Bank
1813 Sixth Avenue
Altoona, Pennsylvania, 16602
814-942-8104
Case managers assess a clients needs. Based on this, they may give items such as food, baby formula, diapers, or more. Additional social services include Thanksgiving and Christmas meals from adopt a family, shelter, and even financial aid. There may be free household supplies like detergent, toilet paper, soap, hygiene supplies and more at the pantry too.
The Fathers House
1520 11th St
Altoona, PA 16601
Call (814) 381-7019
Get free canned groceries, holiday food boxes and some basic needs.
Archway Ministries Christians In Action
401 5th Ave.
Altoona. PA 16601
Phone – (814)762-6779 or (814) 944-5400
The church helps the poor. A food pantry has groceries, Christmas meals or Thanksgiving turkeys, and other resources. The charity has a soup kitchen, thrift store, school supplies, and of course a food pantry.
Through, Inc. Keystone Kupboard Food Pantry
2879 Everett Road
East Freedom, Pennsylvania, 16637
Main phone - 814-317-5231
Only food boxes for short term needs are given out. There may be canned meat, dairy products, milk, dairy and other goods.
The Nehemiah Project - The Father's House
Address is 1520 Eleventh Street
Altoona, Pennsylvania 16601
814-381-7019
Altoona Food Bank
Address is 2100 Sixth Avenue
Altoona, PA, 16602
Dial 814-942-5415 for information.
Twenty-Eighth St Church-Brethren
Address: 2800 Union Ave
Altoona, PA 16602
Phone: (814) 946-0098
Find more free food programs in Blair County
Many other soup kitchens and food pantries are in Blair County. Call 717.564.1700 for information and locations near you, or to learn about programs such as WIC vouchers or food stamps among others. There are also free mobile food pantries, healthy wellness workshops and other resources.
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