Our Mission and History

Our Mission

Grace Community Foundation Food Bank is operated by the Grace Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. The Foundation’s mission is to reduce hunger in Allentown by providing supplemental food and humanitarian services to inner city residents with an attitude of hospitality and respect.

Our History

Rev. Donald H. Knapp, the rector at Grace Episcopal Church, founded the original food bank in 1972. It started small—literally—in a closet at the church, where food was stored. Church members and Rev. Knapp contributed their own money to purchase limited amounts of food for struggling community members in downtown Allentown.

The food bank grew from there. During the 1970s and 1980s, community needs increased. Word spread about the food bank and downtown residents flocked to Grace Church for assistance. The food bank operations expanded: Soon Grace Church was serving hundreds of families each month.

In 1994, Rev. Knapp retired from Grace Church, and at the same time, the thriving food bank recognized the need to form its own 501(c)3 nonprofit, separate from the church. The Grace Community Foundation was born. In 1997, a dedicated volunteer, Patty McNamara, took over full-time operations and has run the food bank since that time.