CATASAUQUA, Pa. — On the corner of Howertown Rd. and Church St. in Catasauqua, Lehigh Valley residents can find a Blessing Box in Mercedes Lynn Escoto-Wagner’s front yard, providing resources to those in need. 

The Blessing Box operates as a give-and-take system where residents are encouraged to donate food, clothing, and other household items. 

“Usually it’s cans and boxes of stuff… Some people will put frozen items in there, too, but they get taken quick enough because, I’m telling you, that box gets used so often,” Escoto-Wagner said.  

The box provides residents with 24/7 access to resources they otherwise might not have access to.

Escoto-Wagner mentioned that the box helps food-insecure people who earn above the threshold limit to receive assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other food benefit programs. 

Feeding America found that in 2022, 45,340 (12.1%) people in Lehigh County faced food insecurity. Of these residents, 36% live above the SNAP income threshold. 

The Blessing Box differs from a traditional food pantry because it gives people choices and can save them time.

Traditional food pantries can offer users limited options, while the Blessing Box allows people to choose what items they take. 

“We actually get a lot of food pantry food in the Blessing Box because of people who get the food from there, but they won’t eat certain things,” Escoto-Wagner said. 

While the box is primarily stocked with community donations, Escoto-Wagner often includes unclaimed goods from a food pantry that her mother-in-law volunteers at in Whitehall. 

Placing unwanted or unused food from food pantries in the Blessing Box creates less food waste, and more people can access these resources. 

Before the creation of the Blessing Box, Escoto-Wagner, alongside her mother and sister, founded the Everything FREE Lehigh Valley Helping Those in Need Facebook group in January 2014.

The group’s mission is to connect the community and provide a space for free items to be given and shared with others. This was the first free item Facebook group in the Lehigh Valley. 

Escoto-Wagner reached out to the community through the Facebook group to ask if anyone would donate their time and resources to build a giving box for the community.

Girl Scout Troop 6242 responded, built, and transported the box to Escoto-Wagner’s house to receive their bronze award. 

Escoto-Wagner said that her role is to essentially manage the Blessing Box, overseeing its maintenance, organization, and cleanliness.

She organizes the box three to four times daily and ensures the doors are closed to prevent damage. Surveillance cameras are in place to maintain safety and security in case of vandalism. 

Escoto-Wagner also places items inside the box given to her through the Facebook group. 

“It’s been ten years that I’ve run the group, and over the years people have gained their trust with me and my family… [They] know the things they donate will get out to the people that need it. So, we get a lot of donations on my porch,” said Escoto-Wagner. 

Escoto-Wagner has received numerous positive comments from passersby that support her initiative.

She believes the most rewarding aspect of managing the Blessing Box has been seeing and hearing firsthand its positive impact on the community, especially after the pandemic when usage increased due to rising inflation. 

However, there have also been challenges, such as ongoing harassment from some individuals and people in the area, leaving disorganized items, or the box’s doors open. 

Some community members have voiced concerns about the giving box through social media, especially Facebook.

Many of these concerns regard the belief that some individuals take too many items from the Blessing Box. Some have gone as far as saying that the box should be removed entirely. 

Escoto-Wagner does not judge anyone for how many items they take, “You cannot judge somebody by what they’re taking. Maybe they need it. Maybe they have a family of twelve. You never know.” 

The Blessing Box initiative has highlighted the importance of connecting community members and helping others.

The box has provided essential assistance to those in need, and many have come to rely on its resources.