Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS) is providing healthy treat bags for Halloween in celebration of the first anniversary of its move to 101 Buchanan Street.

The treat bags will be given to PACS clients during the last week of October. The bags — which feature popcorn, granola, and other health-minded treats — were donated by Joseph Scott McArdle of Keller Williams Realty.

Until October 2020, PACS worked out of a 184-year-old building that was originally built as a school. At just 2,500 square feet, the space was not sufficient to meet the area’s increasing demand for healthy, nutritious food.

The current location at 101 Buchanan Street offers nearly 23,000 square feet, including a loading dock, expanded refrigerator space, and easy public access.

In Phoenixville, PACS has seen the demand for its services increase exponentially, particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our small staff fulfilled more than 45,000 requests for service from July 2019 to July 2020, and we had more than 4,000 monthly requests for service in 2020,” said Mary Fuller, PACS Executive Director. “We also help supply food to between 12 and 15 other agencies, like

churches and nonprofits, with the food they need for the people they serve.”

PACS enables its neighbors in need to have some measure of choice when it comes to food selection.

“This is really a key part of our mission,” said Frederick Hubler Jr., PACS Board President. “Many people from all walks of life have dietary constraints related to diabetes or heart disease. Enabling some measure of choice can help support a healthy diet and reduce food waste.”

More than a decade ago, McArdle supported a healthy food program at PACS by bringing in local, organically grown produce. At that time, he was President of the Valley Forge Lions and raised money to buy shares at a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) that went to PACS.

Today, McArdle donated the healthy Halloween snacks.

“This is my way of supporting the community and letting everyone know about PACS’s location on Buchanan Street,” he said. “After the pandemic and the recent storm, it’s important to take time to give back to our community, and creating this healthy alternative seemed like a great way to do it.”

PACS has a staff of six employees, numerous volunteers, and an 11-person board of directors. Together, this team works to serve more than 300 families in the Phoenixville are. Approximately 85 percent of the food comes from local donors — a true model of neighbors helping neighbors.

Learn more about Phoenixville Area Community Services.