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‘A Glimpse Beyond the Rainbow’

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Federal judge’s order moves along retaliation suit filed by Wilkes-Barre police officers

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The Keystone Mission charity quietly distributed more than 20,000 pounds of food Wednesday to 425 local families in need.</p><p>Austin Shission, volunteer and special event coordinator, said it was the largest food distribution the group has done since the program began in August.</p><p>&#8220;If a family is in need, they can come here and get some food,&#8221; Shission said. &#8220;Depending on the size of the family, we provide around 60 pounds of food to each.&#8221;</p><p>Shission said the Mission receives the donated food from the Commission on Economic Opportunity. He said the first distribution served just under 100 families and has quickly grown to 425 this month.</p><p>Shission said recipients must pre-register and can do so at the Mission, or on Facebook, or at keystonemission.org/produce-market/.</p><p>&#8220;We do this every third Wednesday of every month,&#8221; Shission said. &#8220;We just saw a need for this program. The recipients can be a neighbor, a friend, anybody who is experiencing hardship during the current economy.&#8221;</p><p>Shission said the Keystone Mission&#8217;s Mobile Food Pantry distributes food that includes fresh fruits, meats and vegetables in addition to canned goods, milk and dairy products.</p><p>&#8220;The recipients are very appreciative of it,&#8221; Shission said. &#8220;We have found that people of low income can&#8217;t afford the fresh food items.&#8221;</p><p>The Mission is on Parkview Circle off Coal Street.</p><p>It can be reached at 570-871-4795.</p><p>According to its Facebook page, it aims to &#8220;provide help and hope to the homeless, hungry and hurting people in Northeast Pa.&#8221;</p><p>On Wednesday night, it was also offering food without pre-registration to government employees who have not been receiving paychecks due to the shutdown.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Sharon Turnbaugh places jelly in bags at the Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre during Wednesday&#8217;s food giveaway for needy families. More than 400 families were expected to pick up food. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719mission2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Sharon Turnbaugh places jelly in bags at the Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre during Wednesday&#8217;s food giveaway for needy families. More than 400 families were expected to pick up food. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719mission3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Volunteers fill bags with donated food at the Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday ahead of the charity&#8217;s food distribution for poor families. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719mission3-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Volunteers fill bags with donated food at the Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday ahead of the charity&#8217;s food distribution for poor families. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719mission1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kelli Gronka packs canned corn into paper bags at the Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, where 425 bags of food were distributed to local families in need. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL011719mission1-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Kelli Gronka packs canned corn into paper bags at the Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, where 425 bags of food were distributed to local families in need. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>WB charity distributes food to more than 400 families</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre distributes food to 425 families in need