[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6179187,"mediaKeyId","5131879-499b5541dca144ffaef91cccc33bbae8","parentId",5131879,"title","Nazareth Food Bank describes volunteer-run distributions, $30,000 monthly purchase budget and 230-family caseload","audioSeconds",833,"startMs",1693640,"endMs",2526769,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5131879-499b5541dca144ffaef91cccc33bbae8&start=1693&end=2526","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5131879-499b5541dca144ffaef91cccc33bbae8/thumbnail_1693640.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6179187/Northampton-County/Pennsylvania/Nazareth-Food-Bank-describes-volunteer-run-distributions-30000-monthly-purchase-budget-and-230-family-caseload","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179187-c79aefb761dc53fc7e5304b1747bf220/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153819&Signature=KBSKJjzelcb4WSRsW4N6CcqbQ~~VgtBpOoSAQPkuqU~Pi-3GWm3f4ZxX8Gmdmwxb1QJckzYW57amPzw0XiGy7mfiE2EG7pYMrbCTT8g3cYc3t29auNrlvm3dNmUQ3maOpn1P4U6k5dy9NhWzNFDJLeoM-muj8FgwHhwAl5OUSf3jWzyUVhNeAP~v~sTVKL28O9x7VI8Dkh3dOIrMAO7YcTJwTBspqlnXaxtsEnzlf4ZiWxLaS-q~ivyp6GTmfoukiTVyMPqq8aTe4DxT1WoqLA-CaO5S9B9gUGgZIQ9PHYPR08l-1XrgZaPTrz41TClleBE1FxZUcV-TSUpS5GeNKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-03T13:35:37Z","article","Leaders of the Nazareth Food Bank told the Northampton County Economic Development Committee on July 3 that the volunteer-run food bank serves roughly 230 families per monthly distribution, relies heavily on local donations and maintains a roughly $30,000 monthly food budget for core distributions.

Nancy Madera, president of the Nazareth Food Bank, said the food bank serves families in the Nazareth Area School District footprint and stages an outdoor distribution on the second Tuesday of each month. \"In order to have that distribution one time a month, our food budget for that is $30,000,\" Madera said.

Madera said volunteers sort donations arriving by van, check expiration dates and stage food for distribution; the operation typically packs food bags for about 230 families and has reached as many as 300. The food bank closes for donations during January, February and March because of winter conditions but issues grocery gift cards to clients during those months.

Terry Herbster, the food bank’s secretary, described a community garden across the street that yields produce for clients, and she detailed the food bank’s community-driven support including church drives, Girl Scout pie-making for holiday distributions and the annual Scouting for Food collection. Madera said Scouting for Food produced about six tons of food this year, which helped supply smaller purchases in spring distributions.

The food bank operates from an old railroad-station building in Nazareth and requires clients to live within the Nazareth Area School District; staff sometimes refer out-of-district requests to neighboring food banks. The organization said it receives periodic grants and local foundation support but is chiefly sustained by local churches, businesses and volunteers.

Madera and Herbster invited committee members and the public to visit the site, noted ongoing volunteer and board vacancies and thanked the county for support. Committee members praised the food bank’s volunteer model and encouraged public participation in volunteer and donation drives.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 3rd, Economic Development Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Nazareth Food Bank volunteers told the Northampton County Economic Development Committee their ministry-style food bank serves roughly 230 families per distribution, relies on community donations and spends about $30,000 to run a monthly distribution.","taxTitle","Northampton County, Pennsylvania","taxId",2939,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6179192,"Realtors tell county committee low inventory, aging stock and policy proposals limit workforce housing",1234,18664,1252670,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5131879-499b5541dca144ffaef91cccc33bbae8&start=18&end=1252","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5131879-499b5541dca144ffaef91cccc33bbae8/thumbnail_18664.jpg","/articles/6179192/Northampton-County/Pennsylvania/Realtors-tell-county-committee-low-inventory-aging-stock-and-policy-proposals-limit-workforce-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179192-9ea852ef6288b0f9e65e2d5142a5b1de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153819&Signature=D9YqGZl4Stkcyx8-z01fF3QqE1QfJQh1tf6J-U1KG2jWYjbqTIhWOmJAsRXdTxXffZ1Xh-TsRX53maLiiI-cE6HtV04iMM8c0HMOA4xvUqDRuDhl8ozFnKBjmjNPOkbGoDOpSIN-17ycwI2eeB-doNKuMX4vcRC~ybplt7LvRBBhWQnLxDvIWxWFTFyGbAtOifZ244rpWq4o8YI9eYBxxkkgryrEK9piaEa5FVD4PjZDEIgSHvtxlQ~RD6FbkIzFHX32SHAdKCA27JMRCPbMFiQ-LZjjInfliVgnKhr8B0ZP8phYj91g9u36PHOpbMvRVHAIfjpgds63oUDT78Es5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors told the Northampton County Economic Development Committee on July 3 that the local housing market faces a severe shortage of available homes, aging housing stock and a patchwork of municipal policies that complicate repairs and rentals.

The Realtors said the county currently has about 1.3 months of housing inventory — far below the six months considered a balanced market — and urged collaboration among municipalities, developers and county officials to increase workforce housing supply.

The Realtors’ president, Michael Bernadine, said the association’s footprint includes Lehigh and Northampton counties plus Monroe, Carbon, southern Schuylkill and northern Bucks counties and that local housing trends ripple outward. \"One of the biggest things that I know we're focusing on, especially this year during my presidency, has been building the relationships with our municipalities,\" Bernadine said.

Asher, the association’s government affairs director, told the committee the group frames the problem as workforce housing rather than subsidized housing. \"I want to make sure that my daughters ... at some point when they are living on their own, that they are able to afford housing,\" Asher said, adding the association is working on advocacy at municipal, state and federal levels.

The Realtors described several policy and market pressures discussed with legislators during recent Harrisburg visits: a proposed state infrastructure authorization to finance private water and sewer lateral repairs at scale rather than point of sale; a bill that would seal tenant eviction records after seven years or if a tenant prevailed; a proposal to shorten appraiser training from five to three years; and federal proposals to expand first-time homebuyer access to retirement funds and study inventory constraints. The group said these measures could affect supply, closing costs and transactions.

Speakers warned that some municipalities have adopted or considered point-of-sale requirements and shortened repair deadlines for sewer lateral issues that are inconsistent with state guidance. The Realtors said state guidance allows 12 months to make sewer lateral repairs after inspection, and they cautioned municipalities that requiring repairs or escrowed funds at closing on a shorter timetable could create legal exposure.

On local policy, Bernadine described the Allentown referendum on a transfer-tax increase as the association’s largest recent advocacy effort; he said the measure passed at the polls despite the association’s outreach and that some language will return to city council. The association said it opposes increases to transfer taxes that raise transaction costs for buyers and sellers.

Committee members asked about trends in tenant–landlord litigation and blighted properties. The Realtors said tenant awareness of rights has increased since the pandemic and that absentee, out-of-state landlords and deteriorating adjacent properties have led to disputes and, in some cases, homeowners or tenants pursuing legal remedies. Bernadine cited an example in Bethlehem in which water intrusion from a neighboring poorly maintained rental caused mold and insurer actions.

The Realtors said they track municipal ordinances — short-term-rental rules, certificate-of-occupancy requirements and landlord-training initiatives — and advocated voluntary landlord training with incentives rather than mandatory, municipality-specific mandates, which they said would create regulatory complexity for managers operating in multiple jurisdictions.

The Realtors offered the county access to association resources, municipal policy data and invitations to their government affairs meetings to continue collaboration.

Members of the committee thanked the presenters and indicated they will consider the information as the committee continues work on housing and blight identification in the county.

","Representatives from the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors updated the Northampton County Economic Development Committee on tight home inventory, municipal policy trends and state and federal proposals they say affect workforce housing and landlords.","actionData","errors"]

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Nazareth Food Bank describes volunteer-run distributions, $30,000 monthly purchase budget and 230-family caseload

Realtors tell county committee low inventory, aging stock and policy proposals limit workforce housing