We’re “filling the media lab,” one box of oatmeal and one bottle of detergent at a time.
The Mercury and the www.pottsmerc.com's Town Square network of bloggers have established collection points throughout the area to collect food for local food pantries that are in dire need of donations. The goal is 20,000 items and 1,000 bottles of laundry detergent by Passover-Easter weekend, April 7-8.
For the sake of simplicity, we’re counting toiletries, pet food and other items donated in the food total. The detergent, called “liquid gold” in food pantries who deal with people in need, is the only item we’re counting separately.
You can follow progress in our Fill the Media Lab challenge on Facebook at PottstownMercury, on Twitter using #fillthelab, on Pinterst.com/The Mercury and on TownSquare by following bloggers The Sanatoga Post, Tails of Two Dogs, Positively Pottstown, Cooking Creation, Yoga Wisdom for Every Day, 52 Ways to Wake Up a Week, So Much to Do So Little Time, DIY Frugal and Digital Notebook.
Here are the food pantries where food we collect will be distributed and a list of drop-off sites you can use in addition to The Mercury Community Media Lab at Hanover and King streets.
Food pantries:

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities,
King and Franklin streets,
Pottstown
http://www.pottstowncluster.org/

Project Outreach - Spring City/Royersford
145 Chestnut St., Spring City
610-948-5111

Open Door Ministry, Royersford
http://opendoorministry.info

St. Peter’s Food Pantry, Phoenixville
http://www.saintpeterschurch.net/ministry/foodpantry.html

North Coventry Food Pantry,
Urner Street, North Coventry
Basement of North Coventry Township Building,
845 S Hanover St.
610-469-0288

Boyertown Multi-Service
610-367-6957

Blogger-sponsored drop off sites:
Boneyard Joe's
Shoemaker Road, Pottstown
Tails of Two Dogs

Patt Veterinary Hospital, Ltd.
239 Oberholtzer Rd., Gilbertsville

Joe Paws Dog Bakery, Boyertown

Pet Valu
1050 Layfield Rd, Gilbertsville

Chesmont Storage, Pottstown

Pottstown Roller Mills

Grumpys Handcarved Sandwiches at Pottstown Farmers Market

Schuylkill River National & State Heritage Area at Riverfront Park, Pottstown

The Academy of Massage Therapy and High Street Yoga, High Street, Pottstown

Zion’s United Church of Christ, Hanover and Chestnut streets, Pottstown

Zuber Realty, 2117 E. High St., Sanatoga

Foresta’s Country Market at 1098 West Bridge Street Phoenixville

Phoenixville YMCA at 400 E Pothouse Rd. Phoenixville, PA (laundry detergent only please)

Freed's Market and Sulomons Milk Store, Boyertown (benefiting the Boyertown Multi-Service)