Client Choice Food Pantry at New Journey Community Outreach in Reading
New Journey Community Outreach runs a client choice food pantry at 138 South 6th Street, Reading, PA 19602, where you pick out your own groceries instead of receiving the same pre-packed box as everyone else. The idea is that individuals and families can select food that fits their dietary and cultural needs. The organization has taken over the food and clothing services long provided for low-income people by "the yellow church" in Southwest Reading.
What you will find depends on what has been donated, but the pantry aims to stock fresh produce, proteins, dairy and alternatives, grains and bread, canned and packaged goods, and snacks and treats. Ready-to-eat, low-prep and portable items are prioritized for families facing housing insecurity who do not have a kitchen to cook in.
The pantry works by appointment. Call 610-375-2662 to schedule a time. New Journey says flexible hours and minimal documentation keep the pantry accessible to all community members, but it does not list which documents, if any, to bring, who qualifies, how often you may come back, or whether there is any cost, so ask when you call to make your appointment.
The food distribution center is at 138 South 6th Street, Reading PA 19602. For general questions you can call 610-375-2662 or email info@njcoinc.org. The pantry's own service hours are not published; the hours page lists Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm as the organization's overall hours of operation, not as pantry hours.
New Journey Community Outreach also offers a lunch program, a clothing center and a Friday pop-up pantry of donated food at the same address, each with its own schedule.
Source: njcoinc.org/hours, read November 1, 2026.
The details
In New Journey Community Outreach’s words
At New Journey Community Outreach in Reading, PA, we’re all about making food assistance a positive and empowering experience. That’s why we’ve created the Client Choice Food Pantry. Unlike traditional food assistance programs, this allows individuals and families pick out the groceries that fit their needs, preferences, and cultural traditions. A Client Choice Food Pantry is a more modern and individual-focused way of providing food. Rather than giving out the same boxes of food to everyone,…
Organization
New Journey Community Outreach
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This listing summarizes publicly available information from njcoinc.org/hours. Last recorded review: November 1, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.