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A Hershey mom saw there were hungry kids in her community, so she started an organization to help feed them.
Five years and many full bellies later, Christine Drexler is not going to let the coronavirus stop her Cocoa Packs program. But it is temporarily changing the way she and her battalion of volunteers operate as they provide food to kids in need.
“I wish I could put into words what it’s like seeing the faces of these children. It’s very personal to me, I know what’s at stake. I know what it means to them,” Drexler said Wednesday. “On a normal day, they would run towards me with hugs. We can’t do that now, but I can still provide assistance to them.”
As the world deals with the coronavirus pandemic, good will seems to live on in organizations like Cocoa Packs as they do what they can to help their community.
Cocoa Packs has temporarily moved to the Spring Creek Church of the Brethren, 335 E. Areba Ave., Derry Township, where they have been handing out breakfast, lunch and weekend food five days per week to kids in need. They are currently serving 532 children.
“Our criteria is pretty simple,” she said. “If you have a child facing food insecurity, we’re going to help you.”
Drexler, a mother of five, founded Cocoa Packs in 2015. It’s an organization that helps children with their physical and emotional wellbeing, from offering food, clothing and personal care items to toys during the holidays. During normal times, they also host educational programs.
They normally operate out of the Derry Township Middle School, running a pantry there to give students assistance. When the Derry Township School District had to close with all of the other schools in the state, Cocoa Packs relocated to the church.
Christine Drexler founded Cocoa Packs and gives food to kids in need at the Derry Township School District. March 25, 2020. Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com
“Usually, Cocoa Packs’ role is to augment what’s available through the school district,” said district spokesman Dan Tredinnick. “Since breakfast and lunch is not available at the school right now, we partnered up with them to makes sure the students are getting the nutrition they need.”
The school is providing the breakfasts and lunch they normally serve, and Cocoa Packs is handing those out, along with the additional food they would normally provide, he said.
“This is a community effort. The way we’re going to get through these trying times is helping one another out,” Tredinnick said.
Other than her children and her faith, Drexler said helping out children in need has been the most rewarding thing she can do, and she finds, in these trying times, Cocoa Packs’ motto still rings true.
“How love wins.”
She sees love winning with donations and with volunteers coming out to help. She sees love winning through the generosity of others.
“Love still exists,” she said. “It’s just at a distance for now.”
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