Food pantries still aiming to serve community
This article is one in a series of articles about what life looks like in Butler County ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. Stories in this series aim to showcase what it’s like to live, work, play and serve in Butler County during this moment in history.
The Lighthouse Foundation Food Pantry Director Joe Franciscus wants everyone who needs food to feel comfortable seeking it. When people come to the food pantry on 116 Browns Hill Road in Valencia, there needs to be a feeling of support.
Shopping without worry is the ultimate goal.
“We want it to be a judge-free zone and a safe space,” Franciscus said. “We want it to be a place where they can socialize and enjoy coming to.”
The organization, which plans to open a food pantry in Penn Township in 2027, is one of many in or near Butler County looking to serve hungry people. There are plenty of households in need of a helping hand.
According to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, more than 20,500 people in Butler County face hunger. One in 10 people in the county live with hunger and one of 9 children in the county may not have enough food. Eight percent of senior citizens in Butler County live below the poverty line.
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank works with 44 partners, which include food pantries, hot meal programs and child nutrition partners, in the county.
Terri Tirk took over as Program Director for Butler Meals on Wheels, which is celebrating their 57th year of operation, four years ago. The program has 200 volunteers and they make 90 meals a day.
“The volunteers are the heart of the program,” Tirk said. “It is amazing with the amount of work they are able to do in the time they are here and how they check in on the clients to make sure they are OK.”
The Lighthouse Foundation’s food pantry is open four days a week. They are open on Monday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday from 3-6, Wednesday from 1-4 and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Food pantry recipients can get two food orders each month except for December, which is limited to one order. Franciscus said The Lighthouse typically averages between 250 and 270 food orders per week and 1,000 per month.
Families are able to get fresh produce, canned goods, meat, frozen food and fresh bakery items. Nearly $1 million worth of food is distributed per year.
The food pantry is considered a “shop through” experience. It allows individuals to choose the fresh produce, meats, dairy and shelf-stable goods that they desire.
The Butler Meals on Wheels has an eight-week rotating menu. Every year, the cooks and food committee board meet to discuss new possibilities. Around the holidays like the Fourth of July and Labor Day, Butler Meals on Wheels will mix in some picnic-like items.
The Butler Meals on Wheels has been dedicated to purchasing food from local businesses.
“We get meat from Slater’s, dairy from Marburger’s and have a bread contract with Cellone’s,” Tirk said.
The program serves people within a 9-mile radius of Butler. The group has 12 routes to drop off food and have anywhere between four to 10 clients on the routes. The Butler Meals on Wheels office is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Friday, except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Butler Meals on Wheels utilizes 15-20 drivers a day and has two full-time cooks. The way the meals are packaged and distributed is a group effort.
“When I came to the program, a lot of the things were already set up,” Tirk said. “We have a group of ladies who come in during the morning and make sandwiches. Then we have our cooks come in and prepare the hot meals.”
Katie’s Kitchen in Butler routinely serves more than 300 meals weekly. The organization got a boost in March when the Butler Lions Club removed their 20-year-old freezer and replaced it with a new one.
Justine Brown is in charge of the kitchen at Katie’s Kitchen, which serves meals every Thursday night from 5 p.m. to 6. Volunteers meet at St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church to prep, package and serve meals.
