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Reiffton School

Grades 5-6 | 610-779-7640

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Directory

Reiffton School

4355 Dunham Drive | Reading, PA 19606
(610) 779-7640

Click Here For A Searchable Directory
  • Office

    x7006 Greg Fries, Principal
    x7005, Jennifer Cameron, Assistant Principal
    x7003 Kristy Reeser, Attendance Secretary
    x7001 Karyn Talarico-Werner, Secretary

  • Counselors & Psychologist

    x7405 Kylie Fry, Counselor A-L
    x7403 Emily Seeberger, Counselor M-Z
    x7022 Chad Rutherford, Psychologist

  • Nurse

    x7015 Tammy Hughes

  • Technology Support

    x7208 Cathy Bittinger

Note: Faculty phone numbers go to voice mail during school hours

  • Grade 5 - Team Neversink

    x7715 Carolyn Bihl
    x7716 Lauren Eddy
    x7709 Krista Gilham
    x7708 Derek Wolfe

  • Grade 5 - Team Dunham

    x7305 Jessica Schaeffer
    x7317 Karen Timura

  • Grade 5 - Team Rugby

    x7717 Patricia Frederick
    x7704 Heather Kirlin
    x7705 Drew Schaeffer
    x7718 Anna Zielinski

  • Grade 6 - Team Gibraltar

    x7205 Kim Grogan
    x7216 Rick Spraut
    x7217 Erin Trostle
    x7206 Michelle Woolsey

  • Grade 6 - Team Perkiomen

    x7616 Matt Hoelscher
    x7605 Amanda Karich
    x7617 Russell Keith
    x7604 Olivia Winthrop

  • Grade 6 - Team Shelbourne

    x7613 Brian Druzba
    x7606 Erin Gross

  • English as a Second Language

    x7406 Megan Block
    x7607 Kellee Fries
    x7612 Rachel Gierlich

  • Reading & Intervention Specialists

    x7209 Carol Bagoly, Intervention Specialist
    x7316 Meredith Hudome, Reading Specialist

  • Special Education

    x7218 Justin Blatt, Gifted
    x7212 Deb Carl, Learning Support
    x7409 Lidie Dawson, Emotional Support
    x7713 Paxton McGinnity, Emotional Support
    x7608 Miranda Pochron, Learning Support
    x7207 Mandy Rumberger, Special Education
    x7505 Emily Showalter, Learning Support
    x7213 Corri Speakman, Learning Support
    x7314 Kim Watson, Life Skills

  • Specials

    x7507 Gianna Digiacomo, Art
    x7041 Jen Dorta, Physical Education
    x7106 Dawn Keebler, Music
    x7126 Patricia Kline, Music
    x7119 Sally Lamm, Library

  • Therapist

    x7504 Jessica Dimitriades, Occupational/Physical Therapist
    x7313 Melanie Zaborowski, Speech Therapist

Home » Exeter Area Food Pantry Finds New Home in Old Gym
volunteers from food pantry stand in gym

When Karen Williams was a Lorane kindergarten teacher, she mentioned to her husband, Jack, that she had a surprising number of students who were eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches. To see what they could do, Jack and Karen approached the Greater Berks Food Bank (now called Helping Harvest) to assist the Exeter community in need. “When we went out there, they told us that 19606 and 19508 were the most underserved zip codes in the county. It was shocking.”

And that is how the idea of the Exeter Area Food Pantry began a dozen years ago. 

With the help of area churches, donations and volunteers, the Williams and a steering committee established the EAFP and began operating out of Reformation Lutheran Church serving approximately 10 families a month. However, as need grew within the community during the next decade, the EAFP started to run out of space at Reformation–which happened at the exact time that the pandemic hit. Explaining how it was a perfect storm of increased demand, lack of space, and the need to find a building that could provide them with a place to operate outside safely during the initial days of the pandemic, Karen said that the pantry couldn’t believe their good luck when the district approached them and offered them space in the Administration Building. “It was just phenomenal,” she said. 

Since the spring of 2021, the pantry has coordinated volunteers to come in several days before “the give,” as it’s called, to receive deliveries and stage food in the former gym of Lausch Elementary. During the early days of the pandemic, volunteers collected food for those in need and delivered it safely outside to a line of cars that pulled up under the former bus drop off, where both food and volunteers stayed dry in poor weather conditions and where people could safely interact with social distancing guidelines in place. Now, with those guidelines gone, the gym transforms into a grocery store each month as those in need come inside with shopping carts to pick and choose food themselves from the tables that are stacked with fresh fruit and vegetables, canned goods and baked items. The give also offers Senior High students an opportunity to earn their community service hours as students help elderly or disabled shoppers load their cars with groceries, or pick and choose items from the neatly-arranged tables. 

While the EAFP still receives approximately 90% of their food from Helping Harvest, Karen said that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to close the gap between what Helping Harvest is able to provide and what the community needs. “We’re now serving at least 200 families–and that number continues to rise every month.” She said Helping Harvest was only able to supply about 75% of their food this month–which necessitated them to use direct food donations and monetary donations they’ve received to supplement this month’s expected need. 

As need continues to rise, the Pantry finds itself also in need of more donations and more volunteers. For those who are interested in helping, monetary donations can be directed to Reformation Lutheran Church with a notation that the donation should be given to the Pantry. People who are interested in donating food can do so through a number of locally-organized food drives, such as the collection that the Latin Club organizes during next week’s Safe Halloween Night, or they can drop off food at the Administration Building on the third Thursday of each month from 8-11AM. She said the pantry will also accept canned food that is up to a year past its expiration date if it’s in good condition. Volunteers are always needed as well–including students who are looking for community service hours–and can coordinate their time by contacting the Pantry’s volunteer coordinator, Susan Swavely, at eafpvolunteers@nullgmail.com.

For those who need food assistance, the Pantry operates the third Friday of every month at the Exeter Township Administration Building in the afternoons from 1:30-5:30. Those in need are asked to call ahead at 610-572-2334 so that the Pantry can stock appropriately for each month’s give. 

For more information about donating to or receiving help from the Pantry, please visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ExeterAreaFoodPantry.

Reiffton School

reiffton

Address & Contact Info

  • 4355 Dunham Drive
    Reading, PA 19606

  • Phone:
    610-779-7640

  • Fax:
    610-779-6995

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Our Schools

Exeter Township Senior High

Exeter Township Junior High

Reiffton School

Jacksonwald Elementary

Lorane Elementary

Owatin Creek Elementary