(CHESTER, PA) – The Chester Housing Authority’s (CHA) Ruth Bennett Community Farm will distribute more than 100 free boxes of food and fresh produce to residents on Thursday, April 23 from 12:00PM to 2:00PM, at the Ruth Bennett Community Farm, 1318 Carla’s Ln, Chester, PA 19013.

Residents from the Bennett Homes and senior citizens will be prioritized, with families invited to take one box per household. Pick-up procedures will follow strict social distancing rules, with workers wearing facemasks and all attendees being asked to stand six feet apart.

Farm manager Natania Schaumburg and her cohort of youth workers typically take this time to prepare for the busy summer season.  However, they quickly shifted efforts to set up this biweekly food distribution as both a way to decrease crowded grocery store visits and ease financial burdens for residents.  They are utilizing emergency funds from the Foundation for Delaware County to finance their efforts.

This biweekly distribution is part of CHA’s efforts to provide relief to residents during this difficult time.  The housing authority has also been working with residents to adjust monthly rent payments as needed and sharing information on resources located in Chester and Delaware County on its social media pages.

Additionally, it launched a weekly video series titled “Building Community” where CHA Executive Director Steve Fischer and Project Manager Ulysses “Butch” Slaughter bring together community members and local experts in areas such as health and family issues to discuss topics of relevance to Chester residents each week.