09/08/2026
As power flickers back on across Cambria County, many families are facing a new challenge: rebuilding daily routines after days of spoiled groceries and limited ways to cook. In the middle of that disruption, Hope City Johnstown has turned a last-minute church cancellation into a three-day push to get hot, comforting meals into the community.
Leaders at Hope City Johnstown decided Saturday morning to cancel their regular Saturday night service and instead prepare 150 hot meals for people affected by the storm. As word spread on social media, donations and support surged, expanding the effort beyond what organizers first expected.
“My husband and I were like, 'You know what? We have to do something.' As the word spread through social media, we started getting donors saying, ‘Hey, we can’t physically help, but we can financially help.’ We were prepared to feed 150 people on Saturday night. It grew to 250,” said Sarah Masciantonio, lead pastor at Hope City Johnstown.
With the overwhelming number of donations, organizers said they were able to serve more people beyond the initial meal distribution, including serving over 80 more people at Westmont Elementary. On Monday night, volunteers brought pizza, cookies and fruit to Hilltop Heights Health and Rehab Center.
Employees at Hilltop Heights said the facility’s power returned Monday morning after days without it. A certified nursing assistant said the outage left residents and staff coping with limited hot water, while many people across the area also had to throw out food that spoiled.
“They’ve had a real struggle. Like today, we’ve had cold water all day, so showers are very minimal, and of course it’s wipes and other things. So definitely anything that’s fresh food, something that’s comforting and homemade, is definitely a big thing for everybody,” said Gwendolyn Proch, a CNA at Hilltop Heights Health and Rehab Center.
For volunteers, the mission has been personal. Barbiee Carper said she also lost food during the outage, but still wanted to step in to help others get through the aftermath.
