Still Time to Donate to Lt. Patty Simons Law Enforcement Food Drive

There is still time to contribute to the 18th Annual Lt. Patty Simons Law Enforcement Food Drive in Montgomery county, where the public, law enforcement, firefighters and local businesses work together to collect nonperishable food items that will help those in food assistance programs and shelter programs, according to the Greater Norristown Police Athletic League (GNPAL) website.

Today is the last day to collect nonperishable food items; on Friday they will be delivered to the Salvation Army’s Norristown Corps at 9:30 a.m., escorted by fire and police vehicles. A list of collection sites is listed below.

The non-perishable items that are collected generally last in the community until the middle of spring. About 72,000 meals are served as a result of the food drive.

GNPAL is one of the drop-off points in Norristown. Executive director Brett E. Wells described their process in an email to Patch: “Things have been going great. All of the food will be brought to PAL throughout the day on Wednesday and then we’ll deliver it to the Salvation Army on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.”

Lt. Patty Simons, Norristown's first female police officer, was committed to the success of the food drive when it started, until she succumbed to breast cancer in 2007. 

According to her brother John Simons, a Lower Providence Township Public Works employee, they want to make the drive even bigger. 

“My family got involved in it after my sister passed away. Now we are trying to go to the schools, “ he said.

According to Simmons, the food drive began with law enforcement in Montgomery county and his family began to approach local businesses to encourage them to be involved. 

These are the following participating locations, as are listed on the GNPAL site at: www.greaternorristownpal.org/Events.htm

• GNPAL, 340 Harding Blvd., Norristown
• Norristown Municipal Hall and PD, 235 E. Airy St., Norristown
  
• 1 Montgomery Plaza, Swede and Airy streets, Norristown
  
• Montgomery County Courthouse, Main and Swede streets,  Norristown
  
• Montgomery County DA’s Office, Main and Swede streets, Norristown
  
• Montgomery County Detectives, Main and Swede Streets, Norristown
  
• Montgomery County Sheriff’s Dept., Main and Swede Streets, Norristown
  
• Local Pages Publishing & Montgomery County Chamber News Magazine, 1055 West Germantown Pike, Norristown
  
• Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union at:
• Mercy Suburban Hospital Branch, 2701 DeKalb Pike, Norristown
• 640 Freedom Business Center Drive, Suite 125, King of Prussia
• Lankenau Medical Center, 100 East Lancaster Avenue, Wynnnewood
• Bryn Mawr Hospital Branch, 130 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr
• Centocor Branch  ( closed to public), 800 Ridgeview Road  Suite H-2  1058, Horsham
• 551  W Lancaster Ave., Haverford
• Impact Thrift Store, 1798 Markley St.,  Norristown, PA 19401, (610) 239-9848
• Via Veneto Pizza and Family Restaurant, 1803 Markley Street  Norristown, PA 19401, -610-279-5222
• Sessano Cafe` & Deli,  1840 Markley St. Norristown, PA 19401, Phone (610) 270-9607

 Penn Liberty Banks at:

• 2724 Ridge Pike, Trooper 
• 472 Norristown Road, Blue Bell 

• PA Attorney General’s Office, 1000 Madison Ave., Norristown (Lower Providence Township)
• Superior Credit Union, 100 Cross Keys Road, Collegeville
• Collegeville Italian Bakery, 3846 W. Ridge Pike,  Collegeville
• East Norriton PD, 2501 Stanbridge St., Norristown, PA 19401
• West Norriton PD, 1630 W Marshall St., Jeffersonville, PA 19403
• Bridgeport PD, 63 W. 4th Street, Bridgeport, PA 19405
• Whitpain Police, 960 Wentz Road, Blue Bel
• AFSCME Union Hall,.3031 Walton Rd., Bld. C, Ste.300, Plymouth Meeting
• Cullen & Conwell, Attorneys, 40 E Main St , Norristown
• Franzone’s, 501 DeKalb St., Bridgeport
• Greater Plymouth Community Center, 2910 Jolly Road, Plymouth Meeting
• Marlene J. Mash, MD & Associates, 545 West Germantown Pike, Suite 100, Plymouth Meeting
• Plymouth Township Police Department, 700 Belvoir Road, Plymouth Meeting
• Plymouth Township Public Works Garage, 700 Belvoir Road , Plymouth Meeting
• Streamlight, 30 Eagleville Road, Eaglevill
• Whitemarsh Police,  616 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill
• Valley Forge Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1000 First Ave, Suite 101, King of Prussia, PA 19406
• Einstein Medical Center Montgomery, 559 West Germantown Pike, East Norriton, PA 19403
• King of Prussia Wellness Center, Dr. DiBonaventura, 1000 Valley Forge Circle, Suite 105, King of Prussia, PA 19406
• Seven-11, 1335 Sandy Hill Road, Norristown, 19401