In an effort to serve those in need and to raise awareness of the problem of food insecurity in the state, lawmakers recently marked the ninth season opening of the Capitol Hunger Garden.
Located on the state Capitol grounds between the Main Capitol Building and the Ryan Office Building, the Capitol Hunger Garden provides healthy food for the Downtown Daily Bread soup kitchen in Harrisburg and serves as a valuable tool to raise awareness of hunger issues in Pennsylvania.
Led by Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson), the Legislative Hunger Caucus this year is also partnering with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank to provide donated items to shelters, pantries and soup kitchens. 
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank distributes more than 48 million pounds of food and grocery products, which adds up to more than 40 million meals, every year to more than 900 soup kitchens, shelters, and food pantries in 27 central Pennsylvania counties.
Students at the Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School recently collected non-perishable food items to donate to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank such as, beverages, canned goods and pasta to help feed those in need.
Eighth grader Frankie Rivera said, “By helping them, we can help ourselves because the more we come together the stronger we can be.”
