Allentown Rescue Mission Fills Trailer With Donations

The annual Thanks For Giving event at two Josh Early Candies locations drew donations for the Allentown shelter, which houses around 130 men.

Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Philanthropy

Plain paper grocery sacks, stacked cans, and paper towel bundles on a wooden loading dock beside an open trailer, with brick buildings in the background. — Allentown Rescue Mission collected food, toiletries, and paper goods at Josh Early Candies locations on Saturday to support a shelter that houses around 130 men. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Allentown Rescue Mission held its annual Thanks For Giving donation event on Saturday at Josh Early Candies locations in Allentown and Bethlehem, with a goal of filling a trailer with donated items. Boxer Larry Holmes of Easton was on hand for meet-and-greets, and Tom McKay of Quakertown and his children bought two carts of grocery items to donate.

Why it matters

The Rescue Mission operates without government funding and relies on community support, so donation drives like this one directly sustain its work in Allentown. The shelter has served the area for more than 100 years, and it currently houses around 130 men.

The event's stated goal was to fill a trailer with donations, and the shelter currently houses around 130 men after more than 100 years of operation. The final quantity of donated goods collected at the two Josh Early Candies locations has not been reported.

The players

Allentown Rescue Mission

A community-supported shelter in Allentown that has operated for over 100 years without government funding and currently houses around 130 men.

Josh Early Candies

A candy retailer with locations in Allentown and Bethlehem that hosted the donation event.

Larry Holmes

A boxer from Easton who appeared at the event for meet-and-greets with attendees.

The details

Donors brought food, toiletries, paper products, toothpaste and paper towels to the Josh Early Candies locations in Allentown and Bethlehem during the Saturday event. McKay said his family donates because they have been blessed and want to help others.

Saturday, November 14, 2026: Thanks For Giving donation event held at two Josh Early Candies locations.

Community Model

The Allentown Rescue Mission has operated for over 100 years without government funding, depending instead on community donations such as this annual Thanks For Giving drive. The event continues that community-supported model in the Lehigh Valley.

Residents who want to support the shelter can bring food, toiletries, paper products and cleaning supplies to donation events like this one. Donations of this kind directly supplement the mission's budget, since it receives no government funding.

The takeaway

Community donations of everyday goods like toiletries and food are a practical way to support local shelters that operate without public funding. Checking with a local mission about its current needs before donating helps ensure items are useful.