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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, Joe Alcaro, Assistant Principal
    x7003 Eileen Malone, Attendance Secretary
    x7001 Gina Rousseau, Secretary

  • Counselors & Psychologist

    x7405 Diana Ricci, Counselor A-K
    x7403 Emily Seeberger, Counselor L-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 A

    x7709 Krista Gilham
    x7715 Jessica Hans
    x7716 Kimberly Kardos
    x7708 Derek Wolfe

  • Grade 5 - Team B

    x7315 Kim Grogan
    x7304 Janel Reinford
    x7305 Jessica Schaeffer
    x7317 Karen Timura

  • Grade 5 - Team C

    x7717 Carolyn Bihl
    x7704 Heather Kirlin
    x7705 Drew Schaeffer
    x7718 Anna Zielinski

  • Grade 6 - Team D

    x7205 Christopher Antosy
    x7217 Russell Keith
    x7216 Rick Spraut
    x7206 Michelle Woolsey

  • Grade 6 - Team E

    x7604 Haley Barton
    x7617 Brian Druzba
    x7616 Matt Hoelscher
    x7605 Amanda Karich

  • Grade 6 - Team F

    x7606 Amber Dewire
    x7613 Jennifer Furniss
    x7607 Erin Trostle
    x7612 Theresa Wentling

  • English as a Second Language

    x7406 Megan Block

  • Reading & Intervention Specialists

    x7207 Carol Bagoly, Intervention Specialist
    x7316 Meredith Hudome, Reading Specialist

  • Special Education

    x7218 Justin Blatt, Gifted
    x7212 Deb Carl, Special Education
    x7409 Lidie Dawson, Emotional Support
    x7608 Miranda Dorsey, Learning Support
    x7308 Cara Lobb, Special Education
    x7314 Tracy Prout, Life Skills
    x7023 Emily Showalter, Emotional Support
    x7213 Corri Speakman, Special Education
    x7313 Susan Ummarino, Multiple Disability Support
    x7713 Hayley Williamson, Special Education

  • Specials

    x7123 Megan Achey, Music
    x7041 Jen Dorta, Physical Education
    x7126 Patricia Kline, Music
    x7119 Sally Lamm, Library
    x7507 Sarah Miller, Art

  • Therapist

    x7503 Christine Cady, 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