Petrucci's Ice Cream to raise money for local food pantry
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (CBS) -- An iconic ice cream shop will hold a fundraiser Thursday to help the Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard pantry.
"The entire operation is both heartbreaking and heartwarming," Jenn Lyons, the board vice president for the pantry, said as she looked at the volunteers racing between shelves.
Lyons said this mad dash to feed families is getting more intense.
"We've gone from 120 families to 150 families per week. That's 600 – 800 individuals we are serving each week," Lyons said.
That spike happened just over the past year.
Markita, one of those patrons, said the volunteers were keeping her family alive.
"It would be really tight, just hard paying a car note and paying the mortgage. It would just be hard. I was out of work. I had a bad injury to my foot. So, I wasn't getting any disability," Markita said.
Lyons said many of the families served by the pantry often do not make enough to pay for food but make too much to qualify for grants and government assistance.
However, she said help was coming from one of her favorite dessert spots.
"My favorite is the Peanut Butter Ripple. I get it every season," Lyons said.
That is one of dozens of flavors at Petrucci's Ice Cream and Water Ice.
"That's what we're here for," Petrucci's owner Keith Schenk said. "It's everything. We are a community business. Anytime we can help out the community, it's a great thing."
Josh Winters visited for a midday snack. He said his family moved 25 minutes away but planned to come to the fundraiser on Thursday for more of his favorite frozen treats.
"It feels like you are contributing to the community when you come here and you are a part of it, and it makes us still feel like we are still part of the community when we come back even though the drive might be a little bit," Winters said.
Back at the pantry, Lyons admitted without help from businesses like Petrucci's, the shelves would be empty.
"They donate part of their proceeds to us to keep us sustained and to keep these shelves stocked," Lyons said.
Markita said she is grateful, too.
"I think that's beautiful. I think that's great," Markita said.
The fundraiser will be at the King of Prussia Petrucci's location.
The event will give 20% of proceeds to the pantry Thursday, June 8 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Schenk recommended people get in line early as the stand gets busy around that time.
