In 1968, a dozen of the local churches realized that the Great Society Lyndon Johnson envisioned had bypassed Wilkinsburg. To address this challenge, these congregations founded Wilkinsburg Community Ministry. Over time, WCM has provided a variety of services that included shelters, school tutoring, summer camp scholarships, access to nutritious food, parenting classes, and GED and ESL tutoring. Today, WCM is one of the few emergency food pantries on the east side of Allegheny County open five days a week.

The challenges of food security have not waned in the last few years. Monthly we distribute ~15000 pounds of food to people whose paychecks cannot stretch to cover their food costs; who have an emergency vehicle repair that absorbs the food budget; who have a medical emergency; or whose SNAP benefits simply don't stretch to feed the hungry mouths in their households. Our food comes from Costco, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and donations through 412 Food Rescue, Whole Foods, and Market District. We offer fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, milk, whole grains, and canned